


Legacy Of Iskra

by TheMidnighter



Series: Legacy Of Iskra [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: "Tata" is Polish for Daddy, BAMF Stiles, Darachs, Dark Creatures, Dark Stiles, Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Emissary Stiles Stilinski, Extradimensional Beings, F/M, Family Feels, Fantasy, Gen, I will add tags as i remember them, Implied Mpreg, Isaac Lahey & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Kid Fic, Lydia Martin & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, M/M, Magical Stiles Stilinski, My First AO3 Post, My First Work in This Fandom, Not Really Character Death, Other, Scott and Allison Bashing, Sheriff Stilinski's Name is John, Spark Stiles Stilinski, Stiles Stilinski is Pushed Out of the Pack, Stiles is Void for most of the story, THIS WORK IS FINISHED ON MY COMPUTER so it will not be cancelled., There will definitely be angst, Witches, a lot of frustration, fluffy goodness, wraiths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:47:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 38
Words: 129,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27180622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMidnighter/pseuds/TheMidnighter
Summary: Sparks… quite rare and powerful little creatures. They hold the power of pure expression within their fragile human bodies. With power that could only be rivalled by that of the Gods, a Spark is a creature to be feared greatly… But only if they know how to use that power. Their only weakness? Belief. Quite a Peter Pan kind of situation isn’t it? A Spark without powerful belief is no Spark at all.So, what happens when a homosexual male Spark wishes for something so desperately that it comes true? Well, in Stiles Stilinski’s case… A child happened... Or two.Now, one of the most powerful beings ever known, Stiles is a Spark for hire. But what happens when the wrong people find out? For even within the rarity of Sparks, one has never been found with such deep concentrated Belief to create life with pure magic.But what does this mean? What is the true nature and extent of Stiles' power? How far back does this ancient magic go? With his ancestry revealed, so too is his destiny...Who is Stiles Stilinski?And when he loses himself along the way, who better to bring him back home than the (other) father of his children...
Relationships: Allison Argent/Scott McCall, Derek Hale/Isaac Lahey, Ethan/Jackson Whittemore, Liam Dunbar/Hayden Romero, Lydia Martin & Malia Tate & Kira Yukimura, OMC/OMC, Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Stiles Stilinski & Everybody, Stiles Stilinski & John Stilinski, Vernon Boyd/Erica Reyes, Void/Original Male Character(s)
Series: Legacy Of Iskra [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1984018
Comments: 267
Kudos: 321





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! My name is Nixie! Thank you for choosing my work. I'm incredibly new to AO3, this is literally my first time posting a work here and I'm a bit lost but i hope everything is right. Anyway, hope you enjoy this first chapter... which is also coincidentally my first time writing a TW fic... yikes! XD  
> Onward!

**Beacon Hills Preserve**

Damnit! He knew he shouldn’t have gone alone; he just knew it! But of course, stupid Scott and his stupid pack wouldn’t listen. How come nobody ever listens to him? Oh, that’s right, because these idiots are too pompous to listen to anybody! Their heads are shoved too far up their asses.

Shit, did he leave the oven on? Damnit! He might have! 

Stupid Beacon Hills! The only reason he was even here was for his Dad’s birthday! He told him, Jesus Christ, Stiles told him that he should have come to them but noooo! 

_“The Deputies wanna have a gathering, Stiles!”_  
_“You can’t avoid coming home forever, Stiles!”_  
_“They need to see where you grew up, Stiles!”_

No, they don’t! Not when where he grew up is hell’s wide-open freaking mouth itself! Now look at him, not even a fortnight in Beacon Hills and he’s dealing with the next big bad! I mean, what the shit, man?! This is not Stiles’ idea of a good time, let alone a friendly family visit. Shit! And you can best believe that nothing has change with regards to the idiots who supposedly “protects” this one-horse town. 

_“No offense, Stilinski, but we know how to protect our own town. We’ve been doing it since you left.”_ Jackson’s smart-ass had said. 

God, Stiles wondered what Lydia ever saw in him. Status, his brain provided. Ah yes, Lydia was very shallow, now wasn’t she? Okay, but what does Ethan see in him? Rock hard abs. Yep, and they say looks and money aren’t everything. Anyone says that to Stiles again, he’ll show them a picture of Jackson.

The Scott had the nerve to add _“Yeah, we would know if there was a monster in our town, Stiles.”_ Oh, is that what we’re doing now? Let’s all rub it in Stiles’ face how he left and how this is no longer his town. Well, screw them, his Dad still lives here and his mom was buried here. Not to mention that he grew up here himself. This was his town and these amateurs were dragging it straight down the rabbit hole!

Why did he tell Sourwolf and Puppywolf to stay behind? He could have used the extra muscle. Oh, yeah, Isaac had finals. Yeah, Derek was definitely going to chew him out for this. They were only going to delay for four days and then follow him. They would be arriving tomorrow and Stiles was almost completely certain that he would not be on the welcoming committee.

He paused in his running, retraced five steps and turned right. “Okay… Shit, concentrate, Stilinski.” He muttered to himself. 

Pausing for a moment, the Spark got to his knees and closed his eyes, fingering the ground with deep concentration. Allowing his energy to connect with that of the earth, feeling for any erratic movement. Opening his eyes, he cursed. They were too close, he couldn’t go home, nor could he go to the preserve. They would follow. He doesn’t know how strong his wards are. 

Stiles stood, his heart aching. He resigned himself to one simple truth. In that moment, he could hear Liam Neeson’s voice loud and clear. Fishing his phone from the front pocket of his jeans, Stiles sent a quick text to his father. “Well, this is Taken reversed, isn’t it?” He mumbled with a laugh as he sent his father a quick text.

_‘Dad, I’m going to be taken.’_

Hitting send quickly, he looked up just as the three figures appeared – floated – through the trees. “Hi, there! You’re looking hostile there.” He greeted jubilantly “Are you? I mean, you probably are, since you’ve been chasing me around and all but, you know, I could just be paranoid and we could just have been going the same direction. Are you going that way?” He pointed to his right, “Because I’m going this way,” Now to his right. “So, uh… What’s up?”

“Come with us, Spark.” One of the dark creatures hissed in a menacing voice.

Stiles sighed, looking down at his phone as it vibrated in his hand. “Yeah, I didn’t think so either.” He muttered distractedly, reading over the text from his Dad. 

_‘Not funny, kid. Where are you? Scott’s been calling non-stop since I got home.’_

The Spark grit his teeth. What the hell did Scott want? He should have been here! Sending a quick text to his father, Stiles allowed a current to crackle from his fingers, a second later, his phone was up in flames. Tossing it over his shoulder, he grinned at his abductors to be and clapped his hands once.

“Alright… Let’s do this, folks!” 

**~***~**

**Stilinski Household**

John paced the length of his living room, waiting for Stiles’ text. The kid always moaned about him having a healthy lifestyle and eating healthy but what good was keeping his body nutritional if Stiles himself was going to send him to his grave, heart attack style? 

Ever since Stiles told him about all things supernatural, John has held little hope for reaching his eighties, but it would seem he would not even reach his fifties at this rate. He was constantly worried about his son and it didn’t help that Stiles had inherited his fight first, flight second reflex. On top of that, Stiles did not have the best friend circle on the planet, let alone in Beacon Hills. Now that John finally understood that the animal attacks were not so much bears and lions, but Wendigos, Kanimas, Dark Witches and Darachs, he worried every day about what Stiles was doing in his new town. 

Stiles had left Beacon Hills and nobody was happier for the fact than the Sheriff. This town was too small for his son and when Stiles said he wanted to hightail when he was eighteen, John kicked him out. Stiles was already done with High School, both he and Lydia finishing a year before their peers. He didn’t tell John where he was going, only told him when he got there. Though he was not happy of the fact, he was happy to know that Stiles had someone when he received a call that told him that Derek and Isaac had found him, and that they were now travelling together as a trio.

John had gotten multiple calls from Stiles in multiple area codes. About a year later, Stiles informed him that they had settled in Bennington County, Vermont. John was familiar with the place. He had a friend from there and whether there was a God looking down on him or some Fairy Goddess, he wasn’t sure, but he was glad to have another person looking over Stiles for him. Especially, one that did not go bump in the night.

Now he only had himself to blame that Stiles was back in this town.

There was no illusion now. All those nights Stiles spent out, he was fighting monsters and that was when he had merely been an ungifted human. A lot has happened since then. Stiles is older, Stiles has power, he can take care of himself. But Stiles has responsibilities! Stiles knows better!

The Sheriff jumped when his phone went off. He opened the text from his son quickly. 

_‘Not a drill, Pop. Initiate operation Spolf. Be careful, love you.’ ___

__The text read over and over again. Very short, very ominous and John was having a mini heart attack. Almost forgetting the drill for a moment before he snapped into action._ _

__First, he tried calling Stiles, his line went straight to voice mail. The house phone rang again, and he saw red. Picking the phone up, he was careful to keep his voice low. “Scott, where the hell is Stiles?” he asked._ _

__“I don’t know, Sheriff,” The boy had the nerve to say with the utmost nonchalance. “But uhm, he has this book, I don’t know if you’ve seen it—”_ _

__“Scott!” John snapped; he absolutely had no time for this bullshit. “When did you see Stiles last? He told me he was coming to see you!”_ _

__“Uh… I haven’t seen Stiles since the day he got here.” For his benefit, the Alpha actually sounded confused._ _

__“Shit.” The Sheriff cursed under his breath. He hung up even as he heard Scott ask about the files again. Transferring to his cell phone again, he pulled up his speed dial. The recipient answered on the second ring. Figures, she almost always has her phone on hand._ _

__“Mr Stilinski, to what do I owe the pleasure?” The woman answered. John wondered how she recognized his number._ _

__“Lydia… Can you come by my house? It’s important.”_ _

__Lydia was quiet for a long while. “Is this about Jackson’s stunt last week? Because if so, then I’m not—”_ _

__“No, Lydia, listen… I can’t explain over the phone and I know it’s late, just come over and I’ll tell you… Actually, I’ll show you everything. This is about Stiles.” John even sounded desperate to his own ears. He wished to all gods that Stiles was right about the girl and that she was reliable. Pure coincidence that she was in town at the same time Stiles is? No, John does not believe in coincidences… Not anymore._ _

__“I’ll be there in fifteen.” With that Lydia hung up._ _

__John busied himself by checking if the other two occupants – the most important occupants – of the house were safely tucked away in their beds and yes… yes, they were. He looked at their small, chubby, peaceful faces and his heart broke. They are younger than Stiles was when they lost Claudia. They couldn’t lose Stiles. He can’t lose Stiles._ _

__“Damnit, kid… Where are you?”_ _

__**~~***~~**_ _

__True to her words, Lydia rang the doorbell fourteen minutes after their call. John went to answer and was surprised to be met by the face of Kira and Hayden as well. John knew Hayden well, she’s part of Scott’s pack._ _

__“I was with them when you called – girls’ night – and they insisted on coming... Hayden said something about hearing the terror in your voice.” Lydia explained, brushing past the man of the house to offer herself a seat on the couch. Hayden followed, then Kira._ _

__Kira gave a small bow to John. “Good evening, Mr Stilinski. Long time, no see. Hope we’re not intruding, Hayden and I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” She smiled kindly._ _

__Now, how could John turn her away? He looked at her, he’d seen her very briefly in the short amount of time she lived here. But they’d met officially and she’s a sweet girl. Reminds him a lot of a quieter, less energetic but still skittish female version of Stiles. “Not at all, Kira, thank you for coming.” He ushered her inside, checking to see if anybody was watching. But with the many trees surrounding their house… anybody could be watching._ _

__Hayden scoffed at Lydia’s earlier statement, completely disregarding Kira’s obvious apology for her behaviour. “Yeah, well, he tried hiding his worry but… Wolf senses.” She pointed to her ears._ _

__Soon as Kira was inside the house, her eyes were immediately drawn to the stairs. She felt something there… “Do you have dogs, Mr Stilinski?” Kira asked suddenly._ _

__Hayden tilted her head to the stares and took a sniff, “Those aren’t dogs… They’re pups…” She frowned and looked to John. “Werewolf pups.”_ _

__Lydia nodded “Right. Anybody wanna explain to the girl with the normal nose?” Sheriff nodded and took a seat across from Lydia. Running a hand over his hair, he looked up with a conflicted emotion eating away at his insides._ _

__“It’s okay, Sheriff…” Hayden whispered. “You can trust us.”_ _

__“Can I?” Sheriff asked. “Lydia, yes, I know I can trust her because nobody is tugging at her strings, but isn’t Scott holding your leash, Hayden?” Oh, yes. Sheriff has seen first-hand the amount of sheer power and control Scott has over his wolves and it is nothing pretty. It made them look like actual dogs than human werewolves, the way Scott commanded them. Especially the Dunbar kid. And he knew they had no choice but to say “yes, Alpha” to everything Scott had to say._ _

__“He’s not… I’m not…” Hayden sounded uncertain, not knowing how to continue. Sheriff found it endearing that the girl was careful with her words. That or he was afraid to speak… After all, speaking his thoughts was not something that Scott allowed the wolf to do._ _

__“Actually, Sheriff. Hayden has been spending more time with us and I give you my word that she can be trusted.” Lydia chimed in, offering a reassuring smile to the wolf girl. She has definitely grown out of her rebellious stage, otherwise she would have popped off on the Sheriff by now. The Banshee gave her friend a stern glare “She will not breathe a word of anything that happens here to Scott or her boyfriend… In fact, to the entire pack.” Hayden nodded her assent. Lydia smiled and turned back to John. “See? Now, why did you call me here?”_ _

__“Come to think of it, where’s Stiles?” Kira asked, looking around the house. “I thought you said this is about him?”_ _

__John nodded. Oh, what the hell, if he was going to do this, he was going to need more help. And if Stiles trusts Lydia’s judgment… so would he._ _

__“Stiles has been taken.”_ _

__**~~***~~**_ _

__It was silent for a long while before anybody spoke..._ _

__“But Scott said there was nothing here. So, what did Stiles see?” Hayden asked after John’s brief explanation. Apparently, Stiles was taken by the very things he had come to tell them about the other day. He said he wasn’t sure what they were yet but he could feel something dark lingering in the shadows… watching… waiting. Scott had told the pack that nothing was in town, that Stiles was just paranoid because he hadn’t been in town for years._ _

__The She-wolf never understood Stiles. She’d only known him for a brief year and that was in instances where he wanted to be around Scott’s new betas. Hayden was no fool, he saw the way the smart human pulled away from Scott, especially when Scott started becoming more “grr I’m Alpha” on every decision they had to make. Her Alpha was a questionable leader but he was a downright bad friend to Stiles. But her stupid boyfriend was blinded by his sire, and she would not leave Liam to be completely consumed by Scott’s self-righteousness._ _

__Lydia frowned “How come I wasn’t notified of this? Did Stiles do research on them?” She only got here two days after Stiles himself after having received word from Hayden. She spoke to Stiles on the day of her arrival, why didn’t he say anything?_ _

__John shrugged “Most likely? He keeps a lot of the details from me. Only tells me after the fact or if it’s too dangerous. My guess is: He didn’t see this coming. He wouldn’t be reckless enough to do something like this. Maybe five years ago but not now.”_ _

__Kira snorted “Please, it’s Stiles. Reckless is his middle name. Pretty sure he hasn’t changed much since he was a teenager… not when it comes to things that go bump in the night.” She’d also known Stiles briefly but they formed a beautiful friendship… She had seen him at his worst and Kira was quite possibly the only person who understood what he went through. Even just a little bit._ _

__“He wouldn’t go after these things!” John snapped._ _

__Hayden frowned. “Maybe not… But wouldn’t they go after him? I mean you guys have always said how he’s like trouble catnip.” She pointed to the other two girls._ _

__Lydia nodded “Of course… Stiles has always been like a lantern for all things supernatural. But now that his Spark has developed into his consciousness, he’s like a beacon in the dark.” The Banshee tapped her chin in thought. Then she looked up “If Stiles knew about these things, he definitely did research and he definitely told Scott… What does he say about this?”_ _

__John bristled “What do _you_ think?” _ _

__Nodding, Lydia stood. “Alright. In order to find Stiles, we need to know what we’re dealing with so, I’m gonna need to see his computer…” She paused “Actually, his entire desk and printer. Basically, his room, I know he has a copy of the Beastiary somewhere.”_ _

__John stood quickly “No. Lydia, this is not why I called you here.”_ _

__The three guests frowned and shared a look before Lydia went to speak again. “Then wha—”_ _

__“Papa?” A small voice interrupted._ _

__Four sets of eyes turned to the top of the stairs where two small figures with bright pale blue/green eyes, one with jet black hair and the other with bright golden hair (much like Isaac's) stood holding hands, rubbing their eyes with the others.  
John sighed and approached them. Instinctively, both rose their arms to allow the Sheriff to pick them up. They were both a foot short for their age – making it easier to carry them both still – having been born premature, but their brains, well beyond their years. John came down the stairs and sat down on the couch next to Kira, the Kitsune tensing at the children’s proximity. John turned them in his lap to have each child sit on one of his legs with their backs leaning against him. _ _

__Lydia blinked. “Uhm… Okay… either Stiles shrunk twice and got new hairstyles… Or you had kids again Sheriff. Which, by the way, wow, good genes. But I didn’t think you still had it in you.” The girl had the nerve to smirk at him._ _

__“I—" John sighed “Argh, they’re not _mine,_ Lydia. At least not directly.” The twins merely looked at the strangers but their eyes seemed to be drawn to Kira the most. Then Hayden, then Lydia but always back to Kira and for a prolonged period of time. Hayden was nothing new, she was a wolf, something they saw every day in Derek and Isaac. But Kira… They could feel the power in her, the Fox Spirit humming beneath her skin._ _

__Involuntarily, Kira’s eyes lit a bright fiery orange and the twins giggled, their own eyes lighting up an electric blue. The Kitsune blinked, her eyes returning to their natural dark brown, followed slowly by the fade of the kids’ eyes. “Whoa!” Lydia gasped before sitting down on the table across John and by extension, the kids._ _

__“Alright, Sheriff… I think you have some explaining to do.”_ _  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles discovers that yes, all evil men are indeed Greek Gods. We find out who or what took him and we hear from our resident Sourwolf! I'm bloody awful at summaries! XD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know! I know! I said once a week but I had some free time today and i thought why not put in another chapter or two before I leave you for the rest of the week as a thank you to all who read, commented and bookmarked! I forget a lot of tags so I will give a heads-up in every chapter. Strong language in this one, but that's just Stiles being a potty mouth. 
> 
> Did I forget the disclaimer last chapter? Well, I own nothing except the plot and my OCs.  
> Anyway, to those who still decide to stay, hope you enjoy this chapter!  
> Onward!

**Far, Far, Away**

Stiles groaned as his cuffs tightened. His blindfold was tight around his eyes, he could not open his eyelids behind it to peer through the tiny holes between the intricate stitching of the fabric. And it didn’t help that he was moving at a direction that felt like every way and no way. 

When they finally removed his blindfold, he was in a house with a very Victorian interior, nothing modern in sight. Taking deep steady breaths, Stiles realized that he was extremely exhausted. His Spark felt drained as if he had spent hours using it and they had only traveled for what seemed like seconds. 

“Tricky little thing, time, isn’t it?” A very heavily accented voice echoed into the room. “Depending on how you use it, it could either move forward, backwards or not at all… A concept that humans are lightyears away from understanding.” 

“Aww, come one… We’re not that dumb.” Stiles drawled, rolling his neck to rid himself of the discomfort settling there. “Give us a little more credit than that. I’d say we’re about one lightyear away from discovering how to use fifty percent of our brain capacity. If not, we’ll just take a shit ton of drugs, I mean, you’ve seen _Lucy_ , right? What better reason to get stoned, am I right?!” Stiles laughed. Yes, he was very much talking to a figure he couldn’t see but he was sure that if he talked long enough, the man would show himself.

The deep baritone voice rumbled “You consider yourself human?” 

“Yep!” Stiles popped the ‘p’, “That’s me… Just a regular pile of pale flesh with a mouth!”

“I’ll say…”

Stiles jumped about ten feet in the air when the cold breath hit the back of his ear. “Dude! Space Invaders!” He screeched, turning to face the person responsible. Wow, okay, what the hell did the world do to hot guys that they all had to be evil as shit or crazy as bits? Or both? His thoughts strayed to one tall, dark and handsome son of a bitch. “Wow, okay… uh… Hi.” 

The man chuckled. “What? Expected something a little more senile?” The man’s sharp smile only served to make him look predatorial but in that way that made you want to lay with the fishes. His long straight black hair looking shiny and perfect as ever that it almost seemed to melt into his dark suit, giving Stiles a Jared Leto/Jason Momoa vibe —without the waves and curls—, especially with the five o’clock covering his chin. But his bright green eyes drew Stiles in the most, they did nothing to settle his nerves. 

“I expected horns and scales and a tongue with a slit but sure, let’s go with that.” Stiles shrugged. “So, uh… you wanna tell me why you kidnapped me?”

The man had the audacity to smile “You can’t kidnap the willing, Stiles.”

“First of all, I wasn’t willing, I merely complied because I know the drill. Second, it’s very rude that you know my name and I don’t know yours.” 

“Hmm…” The man hummed. “Sebastian.” 

Stiles groaned “Argh, god! I wish it was Tim or like Mike, so I could tease and laugh at you – like, y’know, call you Wazowski or something – but Sebastian is actually one of my favorite names. Score one for the bad guy… Now, round two:” Stiles made sure to stand as straight as he could with his wrists tied behind his back. Then he made direct eye contact with his capturer. 

“Why the fuck am I here, Sebastian?” 

Sebastian shook his head with a click of his tongue. “Such profanity, and on such a lovely creature.”

Stiles rolled his eyes “You don’t know me, man.”

“On the contrary,” Sebastian went to sit himself in one of the many plushy and luxurious red chairs that were scattered around the lounge room they were in. He leaned back, crossed his legs, propped his chin over his fist and peeked at Stiles through his long lashes. Damnit, could this man be any more perfect? Stiles hates him for that fact alone. “Your reputation precedes you, you’re quite famous in the Supernatural world. Mostly for your generosity.”

Stiles clicked his tongue and shook his head sadly “See, now I’m worried. Because I don’t even use my real name when I conduct business, so how, pray tell, did you know my real name and where to find me? You been stalking me?” 

“You’ve done amazing things, Stiles.” The man had the audacity to ignore Stiles’ question, much to the Spark’s annoyance. “So amazing that you’ve garnered the attention of big names in the world of night. It’s only fitting that I would have interest in you.” 

“Aye, look here, man… Flattery will get you absolutely nowhere.” Stiles snapped, forgetting that he was held captive for once. “And honestly, I’m pissed you nabbed me. You took me away from my family and it’s my Dad’s birthday tomorrow, I’d like to be there.” 

“Oh, I’m sure the Sheriff won’t mind you missing this one…” Snake Eyes – yes, that’s what Stiles has decided on calling him – drawled with something akin to a mixture of seduction and boredom. “After all, you’ve missed the last five.” 

“Ha! You have been stalking me!” Stiles exclaimed with a grin. “Dude, not cool, my Dad’s the Sheriff.”

“I am aware.” Sebastian stood and walked over to the only table in the room. “I am also aware that he is taking charge of your children,” Stiles’ breath caught in his throat, “Claudius and Petra, isn’t it?” He turned with two tumblers in his hands.

Stiles took a step forward, all signs of humor gone from his mind and expression. “If you go anywhere near them, I swear to God I’ll make you suffer in ways you didn’t even know existed,” He took a huge calming breath and made sure to hold Sebastian’s stare. “And I’ll enjoy every second of it.”

“No need for threats—”

“I don’t threaten.” Stiles cut in “But I _do_ give warnings and make promises… And I _never_ break my promises.” After the Nogitsune incident, Stiles was not blind to the darkness that lies within him. He would have loved to believe that the Nogitsune held him captive in his own mind but he knew the truth… No demon ever went after a pure soul. And to have the Japanese demon choose him of all people, not some criminal in jail or Eichen House, but him… It says a lot about him.

Over the years, he’s found that it came out when his children were concerned. He was a father now and any parent develops a certain amount of darkness and animosity towards strangers where their child is concerned. Stiles was no different. Well, maybe a little different… 

Several figures stepped from the shadows at Stiles threatening their leader. Sebastian merely smiled and set down the tumblers again. He raised his hands to halt the figures, they all shrunk back to the shadows in smoke-like movements. Stiles barely flinched when Sebastian approached. The man walked behind him and undid his cuffs and as soon as they left Stiles’ skin, he realized how absolutely easier breathing got. “Tch, figures you would use binding rings.” 

Sebastian let out a delighted laugh and held up the cuffs. The runes on them shining red against the light after having been fed by Stiles’ spark. “You recognize your own work.” The green eyes man commented. 

Rubbing his wrists, Stiles gave the man a bored look, “I have to, otherwise what kind of inventor am I?” He smirked darkly, “I also know cheap copies when I see them.”  


“Yes… These were not crafted by the best hands. But I’d say they did their job just fine.” Setting down the cuffs on the table, and returning to the tumblers, Sebastian walked over to hand one to Stiles. “Please, sit.” With a barely existent touch on Stiles’ lower back, the man led him to a chair across the one he had previously occupied, taking it again once Stiles was seated. “Oh, I would warn you to not try and use your Spark in here… I will only _eat_ it.”

Stiles chuckled to himself “Wow… You haven’t gone rusty Stiles, boy.” His research, of course, showed him that this guy is absolutely bad for Sparks like him so… Yeah, he knew what getting caught entailed, that’s why he hasn’t bothered using his spark to escape. He locked eyes with Sebastian and took a sip. Argh, whisky, gross. Stiles is more of a rum man, himself. Blame Derek.

The green eyes man smirked and pointed to his glass, “Not afraid I’d poison you?”

The Spark shrugged, “You’d be pretty stupid if you did. If you wanted to poison me, you didn’t need me here to do it. You obviously want something from me, you won’t get it if you try to poison me.”

“Try?” His capturer asked.

The Spark smirked “You think I wouldn’t know if my drink was spiked? I’m the boy that runs with wolves.” He laughed at his own joke.

Sebastian smirked seductively. “My, my… My sister sure will be jealous.”

Stiles frowned because what the fuck did that mean?

**~***~**

**Stilinski Residence  
Beacon Hills**

“Claudius and Petra?” Kira asked. “Those are beautiful names…” She had her arms full of a mini girl Stiles. The girl was very charming. She hummed a lot and Kira almost thought she was talking to someone for a second there when she mumbled to herself. 

“Hmm? Did you say something, sweetie?” Kira asked. Petra tilted her head back to look up at Kira with wide shining eyes. She grinned and let out a cooing giggle before looking back down at her bunny as if nothing happened. Kira blinked and looked up at John for an explanation. 

The Sherriff shrugged. “They do that a lot. Especially when they’re not in the same room.” He said, running his big hand through Claude’s golden hair.

“Wait, so they’re like, those twins? Telepathically linked?” Hayden asked, her eyes moving back and forth between the kids. Apart from their eyes, mole constellations and pouty pink lips, they looked nothing alike. Petra was paler and her midnight hair did nothing for her complexion, a small upturned nose sat in the middle of her face. While Claude, on the other hand, had a healthy tan going, his golden hair leaning more to the blonde side and bright against his skin and a pointy button nose.  


Well, the relation was obvious but all kids almost look the same in their young years. But Hayden knew they would look nothing alike as they grew older. The eyes and moles would give them away, though. They seemed to be in the exact same places, except Claude’s were lined on the right side of his jawline, and neck, going down. Petra’s were on her left. Huh… Hayden has never seen kids this weird before. They were a sight to behold.

“Stiles thinks so. They don’t really talk about it.” John reached for his phone.

Lydia came back down the stairs, a thick folder in her arms. “Found it.” She announced, “Also, when did Stiles become such a neat freak? The place looks like it’s been licked clean.”

“Trust me, when you have kids, you develop some skills you never thought possible.” John chuckled. “He came in here and cleaned everything spotless.”

Lydia sat down in the armchair across Kira’s “Yeah, about that… How exactly does Stiles have kids again? Who’s the mother?”

“That’s not for me to tell, Lydia.” The Sheriff responded just as his phone rang. He turned Claude in his lap expertly, placing an arm under his bottom for balance as he stood with him. Then he answered “Derek…” The girls’ eyes widened. There’s a face they haven’t seen in a while, why would John be talking to him?

_“Sheriff… Everything okay?”_ the Wolf’s voice floated through the line. Concern very evident in his voice.

“No… What are you doing?” John asked.

There was a pause before Derek answered _“Packing. Isaac is at campus; he should be finishing his last final right about now. I’m heading out in a bit to pick him up, then we’re heading out of town. John… what’s wrong? Is it the twins? Stiles?”_

Yeah. Derek never called him John unless he was really worried. “Derek—” John’s voice cracked, he looked down at Claude’s face, the boy’s head resting on his chest. “Stiles is gone. It’s time…”

There was a clank, as if Derek dropped something. _“Operation Spolf?”_

John sighed “Yes.”

_“What took him?”_ Derek asked. John found it funny that he didn’t ask who took him, but rather what.

John ran a hand over his face “I don’t know… he just told me that he felt something dark, but he didn’t wanna say anything until he was sure.”

_“Where are the kids?”_

“With me. They’re awake actually. Restless, I guess because…” Well, John couldn’t finish that sentence.

Derek was quiet for a moment; John could feel his heavy and slightly elated breathing. When he spoke again, John heard a series of movement and steps, the man was getting into action. _“May I—”_

“Sure, hang on.” John motioned for Kira to bring Petra over. “Here, I’ll put you on speaker… Oh, and we have an audience.”

_“I know, I just… I wanna hear their voices. Just to be sure they're okay.”_

“Okay,” John said, then he pressed the speaker button. “Alright, you’re on.”

Derek sigh filtered through the phone _“Claudie? Rocky?”_ Lydia was amazed at the softness in Derek’s voice. She didn’t think he was capable of such. And Rocky? Really?

“Sourwolf!” The twins exclaimed with grins; their heads huddled over the phone. Lydia snorted, oh, these two were definitely Stiles’, alright.

_“Hey…”_ Derek laughed, the relief he felt echoing through his voice. _“Are you okay, minions?”_

“Yep!” Petra answered “Papa is nice!”

“He smells like Tata!” Claude answered. Hayden laughed, being the only one that truly understood what they mean. “And cookies!”

Derek laughed _“I bet he does. Your Papa is not supposed to eat a lot of cookies though.”_ The tell-tale sound of a closing car door echoed through the line. _“He knows Tata doesn’t like it.”_

“Tomorrow is Papa’s birthday, Derek! Are you and Izzy coming?” Petra asked.

Derek sighed quietly, “We’ll be there, sweetheart. Now let me talk to Papa, you two should be in bed.”

“But Tata’s not here yet…” The twins mumbled in unison. Every adult’s heart broke. John was wishing that that wasn’t the reason they were awake but if it were the National Lottery, he’d be on his way to Hawaii on a private jet.

_“I know, pups,”_ Derek soothed over the phone. _“But Tata is busy with something and he wouldn’t like you being up this late, now would he?”_

“No,” Came the twin reply —pun intended— coupled with pouts.

_“That’s right. Now, go to sleep and before you know it Izzy and I will be there and—”_

“And Tata?” Claude asked.

Derek’s line went silent for a moment as he hesitated but John reacted quickly _“That’s right. Tata will be there as soon as possible.”_ Saying tomorrow would be a serious risk, but soon held no timeline.

“Okay!” The kids sang “See you soon, uncle Derek! Love you!”

_“Love you too, pups.”_ If you’d told Derek five years ago that he’d be saying those words so easily and meaning them greatly, he’d have promised to rip your throat out with his teeth. _“Now, let me talk to Papa and let Miss Lydia tuck you in.”_ Okay, creepy, how did Derek know she was there?

“Okay, bye!” The kids responded. John set Claude down and watched him walk over to Lydia and take her hand. The kid paused and turned her eyes to Kira, who had just set down his sister. He held out his free hand to her. Kira barely had time to react before Petra pulled her over to her brother, hand firm in hers. Not knowing what else to do, she took Claude’s free hand in her own unoccupied. With that, the four of them headed upstairs.

Hayden sat there with a raised brow, happy to not be dragged into it because she was not good with kids, like at all! Instead, she busied herself with the folder that Lydia brought down from Stiles’ room as a way to keep from eavesdropping on John’s conversation. “Beastiary?” She read the title aloud. So, this was the book that Scott was always moaning about getting back from Stiles? Scanning over the boring stuff, she came across a recent marking. She almost decided not to believe it but with all she’s seen… Hayden was as open minded as ever.

“What the… Wraiths?” 

**~~***~~**

“They seem to have taken a liking to Kira—” John asked the wolf on the line.

_“Kira Yukimura? She's there?”_ Derek almost could not believe it. Last he checked, the girl was in the desert, being trained by the badass warrior women —Stiles talk—. He didn’t think she would ever go back to Beacon Hills, especially now that Scott is glued to his Huntress again. Insert massive eye roll. He hoped the Kitsune was not back there to join Scott’s pack, though he highly doubted it. There was something about Kira’s Foxfire that found a threat in wolves. That’s one of the reasons she stayed behind in New Mexico to train. The other reason was to prevent the Foxfire from consuming her entirely and the fox spirit from taking over.

“Petra and Claude are just about as big a mystery as Stiles is sometimes. Even to this day, I don’t understand his dynamics, no matter how hard he tries to explain.”

Derek chuckled _“And I’m the one born into this world. He only came in seven years ago.”_

“Jesus, is that how long it’s been?” John positively moaned.

_“Yeah… sorry he didn’t tell you earlier, Sheriff. I know I apologized for making him keep it a secret before but—”_

“Don’t, son. You were there for him when he most needed it and I’m quite sure Stiles would have told me if he truly wanted to. Nobody tells that kid what to do, not even the big bad, no offence.” Derek grumbled. Oh, he would take offence alright. John laughed. “But you’re my grandchildren’s uncle. You’re family and whatever decision you make for their protection, I’ll overlook the discrepancies. Now, tell me what to do until you get here.”

_“Right. Did you look inside the pack yet?”_

John looked at the bag on the kitchen counter. He had brought it down while waiting for Lydia. It was essentially a military fanny pack with more compartments than John has ever seen on one small bag. He was scared “Uh… yeah, what’s in it?”

_“Nothing that will hurt you. Stiles probably has the house surrounded with Protection Runes but he also wanted to ensure that you were prepared as well. Open it, instructions are inside.”_ The rumbling of the car stopped. The door opened, from the sound, John knew that Derek was in a largely populated area. Must be Isaac’s campus. _“Look, John… I know you’re scared, but there are also instructions for Lydia, give her the envelope and get to work.”_

_“Hey! Who are you talking to?”_ John could have laughed because how was the Lottery never that easy. It’s a crime, really! Not the gambling part, rather the fact that it doesn’t work, because sure enough that was Isaac’s still boyish voice coming through. 

__“It’s the Sheriff. We need to go, babe. It’s time.”_ Derek responded softly to Isaac. The endearment came as no surprise to John, he knew the relationship between the two wolves. _

__

__“Argh, Derek! Stiles and I told you to pay you speeding—”_ The beta said. _

__

_“Not that Sheriff, Isaac, John.”_ John heard Derek hesitate for a moment, _“Stiles has been taken.”_ John heard a pause before Isaac stammering but Derek cut in again. His voice a little muffed. _“Hey, come here…”_ There was a rustle of clothes before Derek’s muffled voice drifted through again. _“They’re fine, they’re with John, I just spoke to them. But we have to hurry, okay? Just take deep calming breaths for me and get in the car.”_ The affection was as clear as when Derek spoke to the twins. John sometimes wondered how Derek could switch to such a gentle wolf when he was all but a murderous fright story most of the time. 

__

__“Okay.”_ Isaac’s whisper sounded close and muffled, as if Derek had been holding him close. _

__

__

__

_“John, you still there? Sorry, Isaac doesn’t do well in situations like this. He just needs a moment.”_ Derek sighed. _“Are you okay? You know what you need to do?”_

__

__

__

“Yeah. I got it, just… Do what you need to do and get here as soon as you can.” 

__

_“Be careful. Apart from the people in that house right now, do not trust a single soul… Especially not Scott. He wont be of any use to you.”_

__

John was offended “I’m not an amateur, son. I may not know demons and wolves but I know protocol.” 

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everybody who left Kudos and commented and Bookmarked, I'm so happy with this response! I apologize for any grammatical or spelling errors, hope there weren't too many. Alright, let me know what you think of this one... I really like Kira, if that wasn't obvious, she was super underrated. Was Derek ooc? Meh, I don't think so, but whatever, this is a fanwork! Derek will be a fluff bear and what I say goes! Hehe XD! 
> 
> See you in the next chapter! Love you and TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So last chapter I said we found out what took Stiles, but we really didn't. This chapter goes more into detail. Lydia explains her abilities, some magic is involved, Stiles is met with the shock of his life I really don't want to reveal much! You can't make me! ToT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another one?! I am on fire! Hehe! Pants on fire, these chapters are already done.  
> Not much to say on this one except for the disclaimer of course... Now imagine if I did own TW... Or don't, probably a bad idea, everybody would have been gay.  
> Haha! Enjoy!  
> Onward!

**Stilinski Household  
Beacon Hills**

Lydia closed the bedroom door quietly. For kids who had been wide away a few minutes ago, they sure went down fast. She turned to Kira. “So, what was that about, child whisperer?”

The Asian girl blinked “What do you mean?”

“They’re totally enamoured with you and they just met you!” The strawberry blonde proclaimed.

Kira snorted and turned to head back to the others. “Don’t be green, Lyds.” She threw over her shoulder.

The Banshee gasped and followed her friend. “I am not, you take that back right now.” She whined. “I’m just saying, they just met you and if this is the way they react to strangers then—”

“Yo, Lydia! Perfect timing!” Hayden interrupted as soon as they made it downstairs. She stood with the open folder in her hands. “Remember how you made a brief comment about feeling like you wanna scream but it’s like a sneeze that refuses to come out?”

“Okay, Hay, now is not the time to expl—”

“I think I know why!” the She-wolf continued. She then turned the open book and held it up, facing the other two. “Wraiths! I think that’s what Stiles was talking about. At least according to his notes over here. The ink smells newest here.”

Lydia took the book and scanned the contents of the pages and the notes quickly. She then sighed and sat down slowly. “Yep… that would be the reason.” 

John appeared through the kitchen archway “Hold on, did you just say something about Lydia wanting to scream?” He asked “Why?”

“Oh, she’s a Banshee.” Kira responded with a smile.

“I’m sorry, what now?” John asked. Now, the fact that he once found Lydia naked in the woods – or rather she had found her way to them after having been missing for 48 hours – is not lost, nor is it forgotten to him. However, when Stiles filled him in on all the creatures that resided in Beacon Hills, he omitted little miss Martin. For reasons Stiles said were irrelevant. So, forgive John is he fails to understand how a child he watched grow up is a wailing ghost, woman thing.

“Wailing Spirit, Sherriff and yes, you said all that aloud.” Lydia laughed quietly. “I’m not a ghost because I’m not dead per se. Like Stiles, I am mostly human – maybe even more than him – and I can just… feel death.” John’s breath hitched, his body visibly tensing hard. Lydia jumped from her seat and walked over to stand in front of him. “Oh, no! No, no, no! Trust me, I would know if Stiles was not… in this world anymore. He’s perfectly fine! For now, at least…” While that did nothing to settle John’s terror, it did prevent him from going into cardiac arrest. 

“Then what—”

“The Wraiths.” Hayden responded. “They’re the ones affecting, Lydia.” 

The Banshee smiled sadly when the Sherriff’s eyes returned to her. “I weep for the lost… In a way. I—uhm… I scream.” 

John nodded “Like a banshee?” 

“Yeah, it freaking sucks if you’re not ready.” Hayden grumbled. “She burst my eardrum this one time, blood and all. If I wasn’t a wolf, I’d be deaf in my right ear.” She glared at Lydia.

Lydia rolled her eyes. “Oh, suck it up, you know I can’t help it.” 

Okay, John was confused. “How do you know it’s not Stiles?” He asked. Lydia raised a confused brow. “You said you scream. How do you know who you’re screaming for?” 

Sighing, Lydia went back to take her seat. Honestly, she didn’t know how to explain it but she would surely try. “It’s hard to explain but… If it’s someone I don’t know, then… I just scream after they die. Most of the time, I only weep for those who’ve been killed by supernatural means and when they aren’t found quickly enough…”

“Like that girl you found in the high school pool in your junior year?” John asked, remembering that Lydia and Stiles had said something about Lydia going out for a run but it seemed suspicious even then. For one thing, who goes for a run without shoes and in their pyjamas?

The Banshee nodded. “I was sleeping when I felt her. It’s like they cry out for help when they die and I feel their pain…” She paused. “It’s different when it’s someone I know… If it’s someone I have an innate relationship with, I see their deaths long before he comes for them. And when he finally comes for them or just as he takes them… I don’t just scream… I call to them.”

“When who comes for them?”

“Death.” Kira answered the Sherriff. “Or as we call him… The Reaper.”

Wow. And who would have thought John would be sitting in his living room, surrounded by his son’s — nonhuman — high school friends, his grandchildren sleeping upstairs, while said son is missing, being told that the collector of souls is more reality than myth… actually not myth at all. If you had told him that five years ago, he’s have had a room booked in your name in Eichen House. 

“So why do these Wraith things affect you?” It made no sense to him that living things would affect Lydia if she only felt death.

“Wraiths are a little bit of a grey area,” Lydia explained, looking down at the book once more. “They are creatures of darkness and can be seen in this world but the thing is… They are neither living nor dead…” 

“What?!” Hayden and John asked, eyes bulging. 

Lydia sighed and looked up from Stiles’ notes. “According to the book and Stiles’ notes… Wraiths aren’t alive, not really. They are drifting between the world of the living and the world of the dead.” She sighed again, this time in frustration, as she caressed her throat. “I cant scream because while I feel death in them… they aren’t truly dead.” 

Sometimes he wonders why Stiles ever told him about this stuff. He could have left and never spoken a single word of this and he could have come back to tell him he’s knocked up some girl or another and they had twins. But his son did none of that… He did him one better...

_“It’s not right that you should live in this town and not know what really going on. You are going to have to overlook a lot of things and omit a lot of truths from police reports but you cannot say safe and protect the people of the town if you don’t know the truth. Now that I’m leaving, you have to know what you’re up against and since I know you won’t come with me… I’ll sleep better knowing that you know what goes bump in the night so you don’t… Make no mistake, Dad… If it terrifies you, then that’s exactly what you should be feeling. Scott’s an idiot but he and his pack have fangs, claws and accelerated healing. When in doubt… Run. Wait for the idiots to figure it out and get rid of it.”_

_“But—”_

_“I know, you’re the Sheriff. You’re meant to protect but you can’t protect others if you’re dead and I won’t stand for it. You come first to me… You will run and come straight home when you see danger of the supernatural kind.”_

_“Okay, son.”_

John blinked. He’s never agreed to anything that easily and yet, throughout the years, every time he heard a growl and saw weird things he can’t explain – whether at the precinct or out and about –, he’s always made sure to head straight home and then contact Scott to tell him and ask him of any weird creatures in Town. Of course, the boy would always claim that he would know if there was and only find out a week or so after the fact that there is something invading their territory.  


John hasn’t noticed it until now but his flight skills far outweigh his fight skills lately. Was that because Stiles simply told him so… or did Stiles do something to him?

*~~***~~*

After sitting for about 20 minutes, John was now officially speaking supernatural. He now knew of Kira’s Kitsune —which he found both amazing and terrifying, especially when the girl demonstrated—, Hayden’s wolf nature, and that weeping for the lost was not the only use for Lydia’s scream. Apparently, it could also be used in the same way as a wolf’s howl. That was a grey area he would take a peek in the Beastiary to colour in.  


Nevertheless, he opened the scary bag and handed Lydia her envelope, then he opened his own letter. 

_‘Hey, Dad._

_Well, this is awkward. I kinda hoped you wouldn’t have to read this letter, but since you, I guess I went and got myself in trouble. Sorry about that. Hope you haven’t had a heart attack yet, but don’t worry, I don’t plan on dying anytime soon. I know you’re probably pulling your hairs out in worry… don’t, I wouldn’t be caught if I didn’t have a contingency plan._

_I’m_ fine _Pop._

_Okay! Now that that’s outta the way, let’s get to the good stuff. The containers are labelled. You already know how to use mountain ash… the white dust is Mistletoe, do not inhale it. The flowers are Aconite, or more commonly known as Wolfsbane, keep it away from the twins. It doesn’t affect them but I don’t know if that’s temporary or not, so I can’t risk it._

_The outer pockets contain multiple bullets with different types of poisons that you probably wouldn’t understand if I explained so let’s just say, if it has fangs and claws, use the silver bullets and if it’s everything else… Gold bullets._

_Now, the next part is very important. Inside the bag, there is a zipper at the bottom, inside are two bracelets…’_

John unzipped emptied the contents of the pack on the table and reached in to unzip the bottom of the pack. Sure enough, two identical braided copper brass cuff bracelets, the metal braids twisting into each other over the smooth black cuff were three different colours—red, gold and silver. A single white pearl like stone sat in the middle of the bracelets. 

“Those are pretty…” Kira commented, taking John from his thoughts. 

“Are they Stiles’?” Hayden asked. 

Lydia stood and held out her hand. “I think you’re supposed to give them to me.” 

John tensed and frowned up at her “Why?”  


Lydia shook her letter and nodded to John’s own “He told me what to do with them.” John’s frown deepened but he looked down at his letter and sure enough, the next sentence said…

_‘Hand the bracelets to Lydia, she’ll explain once she’s read her letter and knows what to do with them…’_

Running his fingers over the bracelets one more time, he handed them over to Lydia. It was silent for a long while as Lydia himself studied the jewellery, before Hayden broke the silence. “Is that pearl?” The white stone imbedded deep in the bracelet shone like a mini crystal ball, without the protruding lines. It more shimmered than shined actually. 

Running her thumb over it, Lydia shook her head. “It’s white crystal powder.” She then turned to the stairs, throwing over her shoulder “Follow me Sherriff.” She didn’t expressly tell the other two but she knew they would also follow. 

Opening the door to the twins’ room, Lydia walked over to their queen bed quietly. Standing over them, she took their joined hands softly—  
“What are you doing?” John stepped forward. 

Lydia merely handed him her letter and went back to the twins. Slipping the way too large cuffs over Claude’s left wrist and Petra’s left, she held them in place and muttered the words. _“Luna sub optime Clerce, sic faciet tibi tuta.”_

Not even before she finished the sentence, white runes lined themselves on the insides of the cuffs. Four pairs of eyes watched as the bracelets shrunk to snap over the twins’ wrists, not tight enough to hurt but still skin tight like straps. The cuffs’ openings melted together until they closed, the braiding slithering behind the copper to meet together and just like that, the cuffs looked like they were made on the twins’ wrists. One would need clippers or a buzz saw to remove them, as the opening was gone.

“Whoa…” Hayden and Kira breathed in unison. 

“How did you know what to say?” John asked.

“It’s in the letter.” Lydia simply responded, taking her letter back.

John frowned and shook his head. “The letter says to place the bracelets on them and to ask the Goddess of night to protect them. But you said something else in… Italian?”

“Latin, Sheriff. Lost tongue. It’s the only way to activate runes.” Lydia gestured to her letter again. “Stiles told me the bracelets were runed. So, when he said Goddess of the night, I knew he meant the moon… it’s a little joke that we shared years back… back when we were still new to this whole this.” She smiled sadly. “Anyway, all I said was: Under the Moon’s watchful eye, so shall you be shielded…” She looked down at the blissfully unaware twins on the bed. “They’re cloaked.”

“From what?” John asked. Lydia shrugged. They had no way of knowing if the wraiths wanted Stiles’ twins, or if it was something else entirely. The creatures in question haven’t even made it to the house after all. Maybe the house was protected or maybe they were just bidding their time.

“That is so cool,” Hayden grinned. “I didn’t know you spoke Latin. I mean I knew you knew how to read Latin but I didn’t think it was one of your languages, you used it like it was English, dude. No translator or nothing.” She went on. 

“That’s because knowing Latin is irrelevant. Nobody uses it anymore.”

Kira smiled “Evidently you and Stiles do.” She led the way back downstairs and once they got there, she turned to Lydia and John. “Alright… what’s next?” They all looked at the Sheriff.

John met their stares with a stern one of his own. “You kids are going home.” 

“What?” the three ladies asked. 

“Sheriff, we can’t leave you here alone, not when we have to find Stiles.” Stated the Banshee, quite authoritatively. “And I still have to learn more about these Wraiths. Stiles’ research is fantastic already as is but it’s not conclusive.” She went to grab the Beastiary but John snatched it up first.

“It’s late. You all need to go home and act like everything is normal.” John told them. “If you stay here devising a plan all night it will raise red flags… What would you possibly be doing here?”

“Looking for a way to help find Stiles!” Hayden almost yelled. She couldn’t believe that the man was so calm about this whole situation. Then again, she’s been known to overreact. “Look, Sheriff, I don’t know your son very well, but in the short amount of time I knew Stiles… he was kinder to me than Scott ever was. He taught me how to handle my wolf simply by talking to me and I never got to thank him, okay? I owe him.” She paused, nostalgia hitting her hard. 

Stiles was the one who told her about anchors and how to be one with her wolf, instead of trying to fight it. After one tiny conversation, Stiles settled her in a way she never thought possible… Is that what Lydia and Kira meant by supernatural beings being drawn to Stiles?

The she-wolf looked up, her eyes burning with a new passion. “Screw Scott. He can have his hand up my boyfriend’s ass all he wants, I’m an adult. I’m doing this with you Sherriff and I’d like to see you try and stop me.” Her eyes flashed amber. 

“Jesus, chill!” Kira deadpanned., “Would you let him talk? I don’t think that’s what he meant!” 

John felt it extremely weird that his flight instinct did not kick in with Hayden. The girl was menacing but she did not intimidate John at all. Is it because she was obviously reacting in a protective way towards his son? Damnit, John was too old for all of this. 

“Thank you, Kira.” He nodded to her, “What I meant, Hayden, was that if you stay here all night, your boyfriend will ask questions and then he and Scott will surely know and I don’t want that boy sniffing over here. Stiles doesn’t want him knowing about the twins.” 

“Okay, well, Kira and I don’t have nosy boyfriends with nooses around their necks, and it just so happens that we don’t have boyfriends at all! So, yay! Sleepover.” 

Lydia picked up her jacket and put it on. “We’ll drop Hayden over and pick up a few essentials from my house, then we’re coming back.”

Kira nodded “We’ll leave the car at Lydia’s so it won’t draw attention parked on the driveway.” 

Kira and Lydia have been living together in Los Angeles for four years now. Because Kira’s family moved years ago, she’s been living with the Martins during their stay. They were the best of friends now and while Lydia felt a twinge in her heart at the friend, she lost in Allison… She would never forgive her for getting Stiles, Erica and Boyd kidnapped. They still don’t know where they ran off to after that. Lydia knows they’re not dead, thankfully, because she would have felt it. She just wished that Erica would have called at some point to let them know that they are okay.

Allison never changed after that. She apologized but Lydia didn’t have to be a werewolf to know that she didn’t mean it. She increasingly encouraged Scott not to have trust in Derek’s pack because she hated Derek for biting her mother… and Scott listened. Lydia also noticed how she encouraged Scott’s believe that the Nogitsune incident was Stiles’ own fault, even after they saved her in time. Yes, the Nogitsune used Stiles’ face and it almost killed the Huntress but Stiles had apologized profusely even when he didn’t need to. 

The Banshee might have let slip everything else but Allison’s apparent hatred and blame of Stiles is not something she can overlook, especially when Stiles forgave Allison for getting them kidnapped and tortured even though the Huntress felt no remorse. Gerard poisoned her and she never recovered. She was just like her mother now. Only hypocritical because she’s dating a werewolf and controlling his pack. 

Lydia blamed herself too for overlooking a lot of things, things that she only noticed after Stiles got possessed. Stiles was the best friend anybody could ever ask for and they all took him for granted… She should have been there for him, as he always was for all of them. 

Lydia started pushing the girls towards the door when Hayden stopped suddenly, “Uh, yeah, about that… I think Scott might be coming over here anyway.” 

“What, why?” Kira asked. Obviously unhappy about the news. 

“Him and his girlfriend have been prissy since Stiles came back. Allison has been moaning in Scott’s ear; apparently, Stiles has something that belonged to Allison’s Dad?” Hayden pointed to the folder in John’s hands, “I think that’s it.” 

Lydia sighed “Yep, that would be it.” She wanted to believe that Allison had changed for the better, apparently not. “Alright, let’s go.”

“Uh, go where?” Hayden asked.

“I think it’s high time I gave Allison and Scott a friendly visit.”

**~~***~~**

 **Wraith Realm**

“Now… Tell me about your children.” Sebastian drawled, swirling his drink around in its glass. “I hear they are exceptionally clever.” 

Stiles downed his drink down and threw his glass at Sebastian’s head. The man shimmered into a cloud of smoke, allowing the glass to wheeze through his head, shattering on the wall behind him, before solidifying again, smirk still in place. Stiles gave him a bored look and leaned back in his seat as if he hadn’t just thrown a glass at a smoke figures head unsuccessfully. “Do not speak to me of my children, Snake Eyes.”

The Wraith smiled “I merely meant to make small talk.” 

“You want small talk?” Stiles raised a brow, “How about you tell me why I’m here. Since it’s obvious you won’t be killing me. So, what is it, hmm?” He narrowed his eyes, “My Spark? Is that what you want?”

“Yes.” Not a beat missed. “But not in the way you think.” 

“If you want to hire me, Dark Rapunzel, all you have to do is ask…” Stiles grinned “Kidnapping me was not necessary.” 

Sebastian peeked through his lashes “I do not want your services sold, Stiles…” 

“Then what?” 

The Wraith leaned forward, his grin revealing sharp small fangs that could have been mistaken for those of baby vampires. “I want… How do humans say it?” He tapped his chin thoughtfully, making Stiles glower at him because he really was not in the mood for this dude's theatrics. Now if it were Batman... that would be a different story. Sebastian hummed appreciatively before smirking. 

“Ah, yes… I want you to marry me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah yes, another cliffy... there will be a lot of these because I'm evil and i want to keep you coming back, teehee! 
> 
> Gracias for reading, please comment, share your thoughts, I crave the attention like oxygen... wait... did attention and oxygen kinda rhyme... They kinda almost did! XDDD Call me Goofy! Sorry for spelling errors and grammatical mistakes, I promise they are not at all intentional. Also, yes, that Latin spell was very much Google Translate, so it's probably not very accurate, but it got the job done hehe... 
> 
> Thanks again, appreciate you! See you next week!  
> Love ya and TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lydia and Kira visit the McCall pack. Words are said and some stuff goes down...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya! And Happy Halloween, I totally missed it but bleh, oh well... Another chapter for you, hope you enjoy this one. 
> 
> **HEY! HEY! READ HERE! RIGHT HERE: Scott and Allison bashing ahead, if you're a fan... I do not recommend reading this work going forward because there will be more... XD! Or just skip some chapters/scenes but you will be missing important info if you do... If you don't like, don't hate, just leave, please.**
> 
> I make reference to the actual TW (series, mostly season 3/4? not sure) storyline in some chapters without detailing a lot of it, merely following plot in passing so if you don't know how it all went down... you might be A LITTLE confused but it's not really relevant to my plot... only slightly because I also change how everything (or most things went down), so again, you can live through it without losing the flow of the story. You might have to google some things though if you want to know what they are. Like Beastiary, Nogitsune, the Oni etc... Very interesting, I promise ;)
> 
> Alright, thanks for reading. Enjoy!  
> Onward!

**Beacon Hills  
Derek’s Loft**

As soon as Lydia’s car pulled up at Derek’s loft… yes, it was still Derek’s loft and they—being everybody but Scott and Allison— would not claim it as anything else, Liam came flying out the building. He was looking all types of ragged and Lydia wondered if he might actually pass out.

“Hay! I’ve been calling you for hours!” The wolf yelled, “Why didn’t you pick up? I was worried something might have—”

“Why? I though Scott said nothing was in town?” Kira’s bite came in “Hayden’s a wolf, she can more than take care of herself.” She shrugged and wow… Lydia loved how confident her friend was now. Took a lot to get her out of her shell, especially after she came back from the desert. She was so proud. She might have created a monster but call her Frankenstein because she did not give a shit! “Or did you think that _we_ might have done something to her?”

Liam looked over to Lydia and Kira, as if seeing them for the first time. Rude. “What are you doing here?” He asked all macho like… It was cute. Lydia linked arms with Kira and brushed past him like without so much as a “Sup, dawg” and headed inside the building. Liam followed quickly “Hey, you can’t—"

“Liam stop,” Hayden caught his arm, “They’re just here to talk to Scott.”

“It’s past 9pm, couldn’t this wait until tomorrow?” Liam growled.

Hayden rolled her eyes and followed her friends, “Jeez, it’s not like Scott is sleeping, it’s pack night, isn’t it? Besides,” She turned to him with a smile just as the elevator door closed “They’re already here.” 

Liam stood there stunned. What the hell was wrong with his girlfriend?

**~~***~~**

The doors opened to reveal a room full of wolves and then some. Theo, Jackson, Ethan, two other girls that Lydia did not recognize and of course, Allison and Scott. As soon as they entered and were noticed Scott stood quickly when they entered, almost seeming to go on the defense but both Lydia and Kira could see that he was just nervous because Kira was there. Jackson barely spared them a glance; self-absorbed as ever.

Allison stood with her boyfriend… Or husband? Lydia and Kira shared a look at the ring on Allison’s hand “You’re late, Hayden.” she frowned, not even acknowledging the others. 

Kira laughed lowly and shook her head. She had at one point been good friends with Allison. Fought alongside her when the Oni and all that crap was happening, and actually had several good interactions with her. However, having both dated Scott, the girls never became best friends. Kira had always felt that tiny bit of hostility from Allison, even when she tried to be nice, it all seemed forced. And to date she still wonders if it was all an act to get back in Scott's good graces. 

It all escalated the night the Nogitsune attacked with the Oni and Allison almost died. She and Scott declared their love for each other and that’s when Kira knew. Allison was Scott’s first love; how could Kira compete with that? Even though Scott was her first love. It had hurt, but she understood. On top of everything that happened, she knew then that she was probably better off gone. That’s one of the reasons she gave Scott a final goodbye and left to train with the Skinwalkers. Even though she had made a deal beforehand, the obvious lingering feeling between her ex-boyfriend and the Huntress made it that much easier to leave. 

She wasn’t here for Allison’s recovery but according to Lydia, it was an instantaneous reunion between Romeo and Juliet and she was okay with that. Scott didn’t know whether she was coming back or not, so she didn’t really want him to wait for her. What she didn’t like was what she heard of Allison’s behavior towards Stiles, whom had just been through literal hell and back. Above everything else, Kira had thought Allison was a compassionate girl… apparently not. And Scott let her get away with it, too? Well…

Bullet dodged if you ask her, if this is what Scott would become. The Scott she knew went absolutely crazy trying to find his missing best friend… This Scott… she wouldn’t touch this Scott in front of her with a twenty feet sanitized pole. 

“I’m here, aren’t I?” Hayden snapped. Not even waiting for an answer or reaction before disappearing to the kitchen, Liam following her with quick determined strides.

“Hi to you too, Allison. You look well.” Lydia drawled lowly. “Scott.” She gave a single nod. “Theo, Jackson, Ethan, newbies.” The three raised their hands in single waves Theo and Ethan turning his head to offer a small smile, while Jackson barely acknowledged her. She shook her head, typical Jackson. Still a child. The two new girls merely regarded her with wonder and recognition... must have heard about her. But their eyes were mostly on Kira... must have heard about her too.

The Alpha crossed his arms over his chest in what he hoped was a domineering manner. Scott looked different. He had a beard scruff, his hair was a little longer, falling over his eyes and he seemed taller and more muscular too… But that intimidated nobody. “What are you two doing here?” This was his first-time seeing Kira since… _Shiprock._

“I see where Liam gets his shiny manners.” Kira mumbled lowly with a smirk. Oh, make no mistake, she knew they all heard, she would never forget herself in the presence of wolves. 

“Kira… How, lovely to see you. I thought you’d still be in New Mexico.” Allison greeted, all lady of the house like, as if only just realizing she stood there. She looked different too -Lydia noted-, longer dirty blonde hair, tanned complexion and of course, her stance... all warrior princess-like. Lydia shrugged internally, it looked good on her. But nobody wore warrior mantels like Kira, she was born to be one after all. Allison was born to be a soldier, not a warrior and Lydia now knew the difference seeing her friend and ex-friend. 

Kira nodded stiffly in greeting “Allison... I see you've made a full recovery, that’s good… I’m glad.” Mama always said kill ‘em with kindness.

Allison smirked “Yeah, I’m great.” She pressed herself closer to Scott, causing Kira to raise a brow. Really? “Just a little on edge now that Stiles is in town. I mean I’m not saying he’s dangerous personally, but… PTSD, I guess.” She laughed nervously. “Anyway, how are you? You look great.”

Kira felt her eye twitch. She chanced a glance at Lydia to find the same expression reflected on her face. Did Allison really just make a jab at Stiles and make it sound like she was commenting on the weather? Seriously? Kira felt a laugh bubble up her chest, so she giggled quietly, shaking her head. “Uh, yeah. I’m good, Allison. Thanks… A word Scott?”

“What do you want?” Scott asked, hostility and all. 

“We want. To talk to you. In private, please.” Lydia spoke slowly, as if speaking to a child. 

“Whatever you have to say you can say here.” Snapped Allison. “Scott doesn’t keep secrets from his pack anyway, we’ll know whatever you told him.” Kira blinked. Okay, well that was a complete 180 from her earlier lighter tone.

“And that’s his prerogative, but we only wish to speak to Scott at this moment, thank you very much, Allison.” Lydia replied calmly, seemingly not affected and Kira wondered how many times she’s had to deal with this. This was her first time coming back to Beacon Hills with Lydia and therefore her first time interacting with them all in almost six years. 

“Well Scott isn’t going anywhere with you, so…”

Hayden appeared “Wow… and here I was thinking that _Scott_ was the Alpha around here.” She snorted. 

“Hayden!” Liam hissed when Scott glared at his girlfriend.

“What?” Hayden asked, “Kira and Lydia just wanna have a conversation, since when does Scott need Allison’s permission to speak to his old friends?” 

Allison glared. “I’m not saying he shouldn’t talk to them, mind your business, Hayden.” 

“You mean like _you_ are?” Hayden challenged. The obvious tension between the two was thicker than butter. While they did not know the story behind their relationship, it was clear as day to Kira and Lydia that Hayden would not touch Allison with a ten feet pole for any other purpose than to mess her up. 

“Enough, Hayden!” Scott positively roared. Hayden pursed her lips and bit her tongue. Scott used his Alpha voice; she couldn’t go again that. This was an everyday occurrence. Allison would act like a little bitch and Scott would always stand up for her. When he turned to Kira and Lydia, he blinked at the glares they were shooting at him. “Alright, let’s go outside.” 

Kira turned quickly and headed out, already sick of being around Scott’s pack. They didn’t even look like a real pack, most of them looked awkward, especially when Scott growled at Hayden. Even Jackson looked up at that but he didn’t dare say anything. 

“Scott.” Allison growled in displeasure.

Lydia might have seen her brain back there when she rolled her eyes “Relax Allison, you’re coming with.” She didn’t wait for a response before following her friend out. When she walked out of the building, Kira’s back was to her, tension very evident on her back. “Ki?” Lydia asked lowly. Kira turned quickly and Lydia caught the orange glow leaving her eyes. The Banshee walked up to her quickly and grabbed her by the arms, “Calm down.” 

Kira nodded “I’m fine… Just…” She sighed trying to find the right words, “Wolves…” Her Fox Spirit was irritated by being around so many werewolves at the same time. Maybe it was these specific wolves, but at this point, her skin was itching. Her eyes were drawn to the two figures that walked out the building. “What is _she_ doing out here?”

Lydia sighed and turned to Scott and Allison “I have a few words for her.”

Scott did that macho arms crossed over his chest thing, with Allison standing by his side. “So, what do you want?”

“Did Stiles tell you what’s going on?” Lydia asked.

Scott scoffed “So, Stiles sent you here to try and convince me that there’s something roaming in town?” He shrugged “I haven’t seen, heard or scented anything.” His tone confused Kira, was he being for real? For one thing, she couldn’t believe that Scott was no longer Stiles’ friend after all they’d been through. At one point she was absolutely confident that Scott would choose Stiles over anyone. 

“Just because you haven’t seen, scented or heard it, doesn’t mean it’s not here.” Kira snapped, “You’re not exactly the most perceptive person ever, Scott. _Some_ offence.” Lydia could have laughed at the snarky tone but she simply smirked.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you’re slow.” Lydia jibed. “You choose not to see a problem unless it comes right for you or Allison and even then, you do your whole crooked morality bullshit until someone get terribly hurt or worse…” Her gaze drifted to Allison. 

The Huntress caught the look and she glared back “That was six years ago, Lydia, and I apologized.”

Lydia smiled “Sure you did.”

“That didn’t even have anything to do with you, Lydia.” Allison snapped “Some friend _you_ are. You just stopped talking to me and for what? For Stiles? He tried to kill me!”

“Oh my god…” Kira gaped. “You know, I didn’t want to believe it when Lydia told me but you really do blame Stiles for what happened, don’t you?” She received no denial and that alone set her off. “Jesus! I know you almost died, Allison, but how could you be so… _heartless_ about this?! Stiles was _possessed,_ he's no more to blame than any of us! It wasn’t his fault—” 

“You’re right,” Scott clipped “It was your mother’s fault.” 

Kira froze, Lydia's gasp echoing in the silent air… Scott _did not_ go there. I mean, it’s true but she didn’t think he would ever go there. Scott knew how hard it was for her hearing what her mother did and to this day she still looked at, regarded and though of Stiles with the deepest remorse. She knew it wasn’t her fault, but as it was her _mother,_ she felt responsible and it’s a feeling very hard to take away. She felt her eyes water… her family ruined Stiles. The nicest and most caring person Kira has ever met in this town and her mother ruined him and killed a lot of people too. Scott saying it opened all the wounds she tried very hard to close to date… 

“You’re right…” Kira whispered.

“Kira—”

“No, Lyds… He’s right.” Kira shook her head “My mother did this. She created the Nogitsune, she did this to Stiles and he and I never really talked about it. I mean I apologized but he never really told me how he felt, what he went through and then I was gone…” She glared at Scott, “But _you_ must know, right? I mean you _were_ his best friend, his _brother._ ” She was clearly being sarcastic but of course Scott did not see that. 

Scott nodded, “Stiles is fine. He told me so himself.”

“No, he’s not.” Lydia fixed the Alpha with a sad and disappointed look and Scott had the nerve to look confused. “He’s not and you never cared enough to notice. You’re a werewolf and you couldn’t even catch a lie that the rest of us could?” Admittedly Stiles was good at keeping his heartbeats even when lying, but he didn't even _look_ fine at the time. He looked like a man who'd been through hell and Lydia noticed very quickly. And she would have admittedly been more worried if Stiles was actually okay after being possessed, nobody should ever be okay after going through what Stiles went through.

“Stiles wasn’t the one hurt, Lydia.” Allison chimed in, “What was Scott supposed to do? I was in hospital with a hole in my stomach and he saved Stiles, didn’t he? He got rid of the demon, what more could he have done?” 

Lydia ignored her “When did it stop, Scott?”

“What?”

“When did Stiles stop being your best friend?” Lydia wanted to hear him say it, “Or better yet… when did _you_ stop being _his_ best friend… His brother? When did you stop caring about him?”

Scott stepped forward, his eyes flashing red “Stiles left! Not me!” He yelled, “He picked up and he left without so much as a goodbye.”

“And when did you notice he was gone?” Asked the Banshee, even as she already knew the answer. The only time Scott ever noticed or sought out Stiles was when he wanted something. And even before Stiles left Scott barely acknowledged him to appease Allison.

Kira scoffed “Let me guess… When you wanted research done on some big bad monster that was in town, right?” She raised a brow and met Allison’s animosity filled gaze “Or more accurately, when you wanted the _Beastiary._ ” 

Allison’s eyes widened a tad bit. “He still has it then? Could you tell him to give it back? It’s mine.”

Lydia rolled her eyes, “It’s not yours, Allison, your father gave it to Stiles for a reason.”

“It wasn’t his place to! The _Beastiary_ is Argent property and as head of the Argent platoon and family, I claim it as my own and demand it be returned to me!” Now how did Lydia know she would whip out the old 'I'm head of the Argent army' shtick?

“Argh, god! What’s the point?” Hayden drawled suddenly. The four of them looked to find some of the pack gathered just outside the entrance to the building, the others looking down from the window above. Hayden was with the group below, leaning against the wall of the building, arms crossed over her chest. The She-wolf shrugged, “I mean it’s not like you can read it… The book is in Old Latin and last I checked, neither one of you knows how to read, let alone _understand,_ Latin. What would you do with it?”

“That’s irrelevant.” Allison snapped, “The book will be in my possession until we find an Emissary.” 

Lydia’s eyes widened. “Almost seven years later and you still don’t have an Emissary?” She gaped at Scott, “How the hell do you handle pack affairs? Who communicates with other packs for you? How did you form alliances?”

“That’s easy,” Liam spoke, “Scott is the True Alpha. Any Alpha with a brain would wanna form an alliance with him. Plus we have Dr. Deaton to help while we look for one.” Hayden rolled her eyes hard from beside him.

Lydia and Kira laughed disbelievingly. They could not believe what they were hearing. A pack of nine people and no Emissary… This was a pack of stray dogs. She wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t have a pack bond. It was sad really… and to think, Stiles would have made the most perfect Emissary. 

“Wow.” Lydia breathed, then met Allison with a stern glare. “You’re not getting the _Beastiary_ … It belongs to Stiles. You have a problem with that? Take it up with your father.” She turned for her car, “See you tomorrow, Hayden.”

The Huntress grit her teeth and stepped forward “You ask Scott when he stopped being Stiles’ friend?! When did you stop being my friend, Lydia? You sided with the bastard that tried to kill me and then you have the nerve to hate me for not liking _him_?!”

Lydia turned quickly “I don’t hate you for hating Stiles, Allison! I despise you because you’re toxic! Admit it; you never liked Stiles. You poisoned Scott against his best friend from the minute you got to this town! Always demanding his unwavering and complete attention.” She breathed in deeply, getting worked up was not part of the plan, but since Allison took it there, Lydia would let her have it. “Before you came around, everything was fine. They were inseparable to the point where I didn’t know where Scott ended and Stiles began. You saw that and you hated it. When you and your family showed up, things didn’t just go to hell for Derek’s pack but for Stiles as well! And I was so stupid for not seeing you for who you really are sooner. So great job Allison Argent, you did something nobody else has done and that is fool Lydia Martin,” 

She paused to allow an interjection but none came so she continued “When you first apologized for that stunt you pulled with your psychopath of a grandfather, that’s when I saw it. But I didn’t want to believe it because you were my best friend and I wanted to believe that you were remorseful but you weren’t, were you?” 

Allison pressed her lips together, “I was hurting. Derek killed my mother and I—” 

“That’s enough, Allison.” Scott cut in, “It's okay, you don’t have to explain yourself to Lydia. We all know you were sorry.” 

Lydia scoffed, “Do we, Scott? Did you even know that Stiles was kidnapped that night too?” She watched as Scott’s eyes widened “Of course, you didn’t. You were too busy reuniting with Allison to even notice Stiles missing for two days and then how he didn’t want to be seen or visited for an entire week after that to hide evidenec of what Gerard did to him.” 

Scott unfolded his arms in favor of clenching his fists by his side, “You’re wrong! Stiles told me he was having quality time with his Dad and—” 

“His _Dad..._ " Lydia asked incredulously, like it was the most ridiculous thing she'd heard all night and it might have been... or maybe top five. "The _Sheriff_ who was almost always at work, that same man? Stiles was having quality time with him?” the Banshee shook her head in disappointment. “I get Erica and Boyd, even though they didn’t deserve it, they were wolves and that’s what the Argents do—” 

“Did.” Allison interjected. 

“-But what did Stiles ever do, hmm? He’d never hurt a single soul and he hasn’t, yet _you_ got him kidnapped and tortured!” Lydia’s anger was now pointed to Allison. 

“Yeah, well Stiles isn’t exactly innocent, it’s his fault that Scott got bitten!” Allison yelled back, “If your perfect Stiles hadn’t led him to the woods that night—”

“And Stiles helped kill Peter for that!” Lydia was usually above raising her voice but this girl brought out the worst in her. She used to think it was cool, but now she saw it for what it was. “Stiles did everything in his power to help cure Scott! And for the record, we all know Scott wasn’t the one Peter wanted!” She froze after that last sentence, realizing too late what she had said. Yeah, shouldn't have said that. 

Scott finally found his testicles and spoke up “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, come on Kira.” Lydia grabbed her friend’s arm but Scott also grabbed Kira’s other arm.

“Wait—”

He didn’t get to finish because as soon as his hand made contact, Kira’s body lit up, the Foxfire exploding from her skin and rising to full height to tower over Scott, eyes gleaming with menace. The Alpha barely had time to react before Kira pulled her arm back and slammed him in the chest with her open palm. Scott went flying back hard, only stopping when his body came into contact with one of the nearby threes, shattering it to pieces.

“Scott!” Allison cried, running to his side. The other wolves—save for Hayden— jumped down from the window and landed in front of Lydia and Kira, eyes glowing shades of amber, fangs bared in defense of their Alpha. They inched forward but Lydia was faster, she ran in front of Kira and shielded her… or well, her human self, the orange fox still towered over Kira’s frame and above Lydia. 

“Stop!” Lydia yelled, “She didn’t mean to do that!”

“She attacked our Alpha!” One of the girls from earlier responded. The one with dark skin and curly hair. Lydia notieced that she bore a dagger instead of fangs and claws... Same with her friend beside her. Hunters or mercenaries.

“It was a reflex! Scott will be fine!” The Banshee reasoned. “But if you try to attack again, The Fox will kill one of you!”

“Is that a threat?!” Jackson asked. Oh, now he acknowledges her? Screw him. 

“No… But if you come closer, Kira won’t be the one hurting you.”

Hayden stepped forward, being the only one not wolfed out. “Okay, there’s a lot of tension here guys, let’s all just calm down.”

Scott strutted over, looking messed up but deadly as hell with his red eyes and fangs flashing. “You come onto my territory, attacking me?!” He yelled, sounding incredibly stupid with all those teeth slurring his words.

Kira stepped forward, her eyes—all four of them—fixed on Scott _“Sawaru na!”_ Kira growled, but the deep baritone voice seemed to be coming from the orange translucent fox covering her body. 

Hayden’s eyes widened “What the shit?!” This was her first time seeing sweet Kira so murderously badass.

Scott growled and moved forward, Alpha eyes flashing as he readied for an attack of his own, and that right there was the last straw for Lydia. She inhaled deep and then… She screamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Sawaru na"- It's Japaneses there's no literal translation but basically means "don't touch me" or "hands off". I would have used "sawaranaide" but it's not specific as to what not to touch as it simply means "don't touch". So, yeah... And no, I do not speak Japanese, I'm merely a student of the Earth! XD 
> 
> Another cliffy. Oh relax, you love 'em. So sorry for errors and/or grammatical mistakes, not intentional at all.  
> Thoughts? Do share in the comments.  
> Kudos? Yes please!  
> Don't forget to bookmark for future chapters. Hope you enjoyed this one.  
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Love you and TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter we find out why Kira was acting up, Stiles' reaction to a marriage proposal from his kidnapper and Derek and Isaac arrive in Beacon Hills.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya! I move around a lot in this chapter so there's quite a few things happening so I hope you'll find it better than the last chapter where there was only one scene. I said this is Stiles-centric in the tags and it might not seem like it because I have a lot of scenes he's not in but... if you think about it, it really is all about Stiles so that's what I meant! ;)
> 
> **PLEASE READ: Just a note for any who have expectations... I'm sorry, but as I said, this story is already finished and I like it the way it is, I will not be changing anything about it so whether you enjoy it or not will not be from my changing the plot to meet yours or any expectation. Also, I think the best work from any author is them writing a plot that they would enjoy, instead of what other people want. So i'm sorry if I disappoint, but... I still hope you enjoy this as it is to the end and if not... thank you for reading up to whichever point you decide to stop.**
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter! :)  
> Onward!

**Wraith Realm**

Stiles blinked. And then blinked. Then a third time for extra measure. Alright, you should probably know that even he has had dreams of getting married some day and whether he would be the one asking or the other guy – yes, he’s gay, not bi – matters not. But what does matter is how the question is posed and most importantly… by whom!

“I’m sorry… Could you repeat that for me.” 

Sebastian smiled softly and stood, hands clasped behind his back, he walked over to the window, gazing ominously out at the dark of night. Where the hell were they, anyway? Stiles wondered. “I wish for your hand in marriage,” The Wraith frowned, wondering if he had posed that correctly enough to reflect his intentions. 

Stiles nodded, “Right, that’s exactly what I thought you said.” he bit his lip, “Okay… no.” 

Sebastian turned his head to the side, “Pardon me?” 

“You are very much pardoned because I will _not_ be marrying you, thank _you_ very much.” Stiles grinned, “Though, I am flattered. Nobody has ever asked me to marry them after knowing me for all of an hour,” He ticked the air with a grin “Check _that_ off my Bucket List!” 

Sebastian laughed condescendingly as he turned to face Stiles again. “Oh, dear, Stiles. You misunderstand me.” He walked over to stand in front of him, then laid two fingers under his chin to tilt his head up. Stiles let him, if only to see what he would do. Instead of pulling away, he merely narrowed his eyes up at Sebastian as the bastard smirked down at him.

“That was not a request, nor was it a question... It was a statement.” The Wraith drawled, “You _will_ be my Prince Consort and then... You will be my King Consort.” 

Stiles’ eyes widened. Was he literally just told that he was going to be forced into an arranged marriage with a royal creature of the dead? Because that’s exactly what it sounded like. And if so… Hell’s royal flame has been lit under his ass because he needs to get the _shit_ out of there!

**~~***~~**

**Beacon Hills**

“What the _hell_ was that?!” Lydia asked—yelled—as soon as their car was far enough away from Derek’s loft and by extension, Scott’s pack. She would never be able to live down attacking the pack like that. The image of them being blasted back by the sonic waves of her pitch kept flashing through her mind. That was not what she had planned when she said friendly visit!

Kira panted, her heart racing from all the adrenaline, “I don’t know! I—” 

“You don’t _know?! What,_ I told you to keep it cool, Kira! I thought you knew how to control your Foxfire!” 

“I _know_ and I can!” Kira yelled, “It’s just—Scott! He—” 

Lydia sputtered incredulously, “Argh, Kira! I thought you were over Scott!” She had a hard time keeping her eyes on the road. What she really wanted to do was to strangle her friend for the stunt she pulled. 

“I _am_! It’s not _that_!” Now Kira was getting agitated herself because Lydia wasn't understanding! 

“Then _what is it_?! Why did you fly off the handle like that?! You’re usually very composed…” Lydia sighed, trying to calm her nerves. “Jesus. What is it about Scott that suddenly made you lose it?” Kira was silent for a moment and when Lydia turned to look at her, the Asian’s eyes were wide and downcast. But they were flickering back and forth, as if she could hardly believe something. “Kira? What is it?”

Kira finally looked up, eyes wide and confused. “His wolf, there’s something wrong with it. I could feel it and I—” She opened and closed her mouth like a fish before proceeding. “Lyds… I don’t think Scott is supposed to be an Alpha.” 

Lydia turned to her with a frown. There were two things she knew with absolute certainty, that are: One, she wasted precious years worrying about her weight and she is now addicted to pizza and will spend the rest of her life on a pizza diet; and two, she doesn’t know if it’s the fox or just Kira but her friend’s instincts are supernatural and usually when she had intuitions about something… they are never wrong. 

So, what the hell does she mean Scott is not supposed to be an Alpha?

**~~***~~**

**Stilinski Residence**

John was just about to call Lydia and find out if they were safe. He was on edge and the thought of the three girls out this late with Wraiths running around did not settle well with him. Stiles was missing, he did not need Lydia, Hayden and Kira disappearing too, especially when it was his fault, they were out so late. 

But before he could call, Lydia’s name popped up on the screen. “Mr S.” Lydia greeted. 

“Lydia… You’re home, I presume?” 

“Yeah, listen,” A car door shutting echoed through the phone. “We might be staying over here tonight. We ran into a bit of a snag with Scott’s pack and well… let’s just say they might come back for round two. If they do, I want them to find us here, not there.” 

John’s eyes widened, “What? What happened?”

“Uuuhm… Nothing for you to worry about. Listen, I just called to tell you not to expect us tonight, okay? We’ll be there very early though, like, before dawn… to keep from prying eyes. But you don’t need to get up, we’ll let ourselves in, I have Stiles’ keys. Stay safe… Night, Sheriff!” With that Lydia hung up, leaving a baffled John to stare at the phone. He hadn’t even noticed that Stiles left his keys. Of course, he would. His jeep was here so his son left by foot but why? He had no idea.

He tried tracing Stiles’ phone when the girls left but he came up dry. The last signal shows an area just outside the preserve… no land mark. Maybe it had significance… he would ask Lydia and Kira when they got there if they knew anything about it. He hated not knowing his son like this. He knows his human son but 'Spark Stiles' was a whole other person and his friends knew that version better than his own father did. So, to that extent, John was not above asking for help from the people that know best.

He tried reading the Beastiary thingy but it was in Latin… Convenient. The only thing he got were Stiles’ notes on specific monsters John can only guess they have faced before. The notes were helpful but not expressly in depth. Lydia was right… she would need to do more research if they were to know what they were up against this time. 

With a heavy feeling in his heart… John went into the twins’ room and settled into the rocking chair in the corner of the room. He draped a blanket over himself, loaded two guns with the bullets that Stiles left for him. His son also left him a dart gun with purple liquid filled darts that were big enough to look like they would hurt like a mother to the recipient. 

_‘If any werewolf is being an asshole… the darts will make them go beddy-bye… Oh, but no matter how annoying Derek gets, don’t shoot him with this… Shoot him with your gun.’_

Stiles provided in the note. The rest of the note went to apologize for the inconvenience. 

_‘I’m sorry I even have to ask this of you and I’m sorry I’m not normal, Dad. I wish the only thing you had to worry about was when I’m going to get married or whether I’d get a girl pregnant before getting married. This brings a whole new meaning to parenting and even though you didn’t know any of this… you’re the best parent I could have ever asked for Dad… Mom would be so proud. In fact, I know she is._

_Anyway. That’s all I have to say, I guess. Whatever happens while I’m gone, I want you to know that I am grateful for everything you’ve done and if I don’t come back – which I highly doubt – I know my babies will have the greatest grandpa in the world taking care of them. And Derek and Isaac promised to be there too, so you wouldn’t be doing this alone…_

_Tell Claudie and Petra that Tata loves them and that I’ll see them soon._

_Love you, Papa Stilinski… Stay safe.  
Stiles.’_

John was glad the girls weren’t here when he finished reading the letter because he had teared up like a baby the letter was now full of wet blotches of tears and running ink. He hated Stiles for doing this to him because it’s not like he can go out right now and go search for his son. He has the twins to think of and he couldn’t exactly send the deputies out on a search… how would he explain this?

“My son was taken by a bunch of living dead shadow wraith thingies. Search every shadow in Beacon Hills and find my son.” 

Yeah. That’s a one-way ticket to Eichen House, buddy. Also, they didn’t know how dangerous these things are… Just because they took Stiles, doesn’t mean everybody else is out of harm’s way. He wouldn’t send his deputies to their deaths. Until they know their game plan, John would listen to Stiles and stay hidden, safe and he would protect those precious little beings curled up in bed like he never could Stiles. 

**~~***~~**

**Wraith Realm**

Stiles now found himself in a room… A freaking Victorian polished red and gold and silk big ass room! What the hell was this?! Well, apart from the softest and plushest carpet that Stiles has ever set foot on, he was sinking in the damn thing, how in the hell?! He was sure that if he slept on it, he’d wake up forgetting where he was. 

He scanned the rest of the room with careful eyes. Noticing every positioning, shape, structure and shade of the objects. The room was huge… Like a full small apartment huge and there was more space than not. In the middle of the room against the wall lay a — was that king sized? — four poster bed, crimson lace curtains tied to each of the posts. The wood was black, as was the rest of the wooden furniture. He liked it… which was wrong.

“Do you like it?” Stiles flinched a bit when Sebastian’s voice drifted in from the doorway. He turned to glare at the man. “The quarters… are they to your liking?” The man’s green eyes bore into Stiles’ with something the Spark could only decipher as… a need for approval? What?

Stiles raised a brow, “Why would I need to like it?”

Sebastian —still with his hands clasped behind his back— walked calmly into the room, “The room was designed for your preference.” He ran a delicate finger over the silk crimson curtains.

Stiles scoffed, eyeing the man’s back, “You really think I’m going to marry you, huh? A _Wraith_?”

Sebastian turned to him with a smile, his green eyes flashing a bit. “Hmm, is that what they call us now?”

“Dude, what we call you _really_ should be the last of your worries.” Stiles laughed humorlessly, “Why do you even want _me_? I’m sure you can find someone a little _less_ me? And by that, I mean find someone who is _absolutely not me at all_.” 

Sebastian walked over to Stiles, he smiled raised his hand to brush Stile’s bangs aside but the Spark turned away from him and took a step back. The Wraith merely smiled softly, “I would have thought it were obvious by now, how special you are.” 

“I’m a Spark, big whoop. There are others, I’ve met them and maybe you should too,” Stiles smirked, “They’re not exactly a dime a dozen but, maybe try dating for a while before committing bridal robbery? I could introduce you, really, I’m a good match maker.” He wiggled his brows suggestively.

“It’s true. Other Sparks do exist whom would make excellent consorts,” Sebastian walked to the door, “However, none of them are nearly suitable enough for my intended purpose.” 

“Which would be?” 

Instead of giving him and answer, Sebastian turned to give him a charming smile, “You shall know in good time.” With that, he walked out, closing the door softly behind him. 

Stiles stood there, absolutely fuming for the first time in his life and he felt like breaking something. He gasped suddenly, a chill running down his spine, followed by emptiness in his senses specifically connected to two very special beings in his life. A wide grin broke onto his face.

“Good job, Lyds.” 

**~~***~~**

**Beacon Hills  
Martin Residence**

Lydia and Kira started packing their stuff at 3AM, neither of them having slept after the night they’d had. When the alarm went off at 4AM, both were already set to go. 

“So, how are we gonna get there? I’m not walking that far.” Kira asked. 

Lydia smirked, “You’re the super fox here and you’re lazy to walk?” 

Kira laughed “I could run, Lyds, but _you_ on the other hand…” 

Lydia pinched her friend's arm “Don’t you dare abandon me!” 

They decided to call a cab. Both girls extremely thankful that while Beacon Hills was a relatively small town, it was not dead in time. As they waited for their taxi, Kira frowned and stood from her seat. 

“Turn off the lights.” She ordered. 

“Why?” Lydia asked as she did the task. “What’s wrong?” She asked again when Kira walked over to the window to peek out. When her friend didn’t answer, the strawberry blonde walked over to investigate herself. She frowned at the darkness before she saw them…

“Is that...” 

Kira nodded, “A wolf. Were or not, I can’t really tell from here.”

Lydia frowned. The eyes were low enough that it could be a crouching human or a real wolf. It could be one of Scott’s wolves… she wouldn’t put it past him to spy on them. See them as a threat when the obvious and real threat was out there. Scott has always had shrewd priorities. “Should we wait or go inspect?” 

Kira was about to respond but her phone went off. She walked away from the window to check her messages. It was a text from Hayden.

‘Scott has the wolves out on patrol duty this morning. Some of them are still pissed with you guys so if you happen to see them… wait for my signal. I’ll lure them away as soon as I can.’

Kira recited the message to Lydia. The latter nodded and called the cab driver again, telling him to wait a few more minutes, that she’d call him back. So… they waited. It was thirteen minutes later when a howl echoed in the dark night and the eyes finally moved away from them. They shared a look and waited five more minutes, searching for any movement or change before Lydia called the driver again. Turns out, he wasn’t all that far off as he got there three minutes later. Lydia told him to park a block or so away, just in case Scott’s wolves were still watching. 

So, she and Kira headed out with their bags, leaving a note for Mrs Martin. They walked out into the night and started tracking the road to where the cab stood. They didn’t notice the two pairs of eyes following them, until they got inside the cab and drove off. 

**~~***~~**

**Stilinski Residence**

When they got to the Stilinski household, the lights were still out but the TV was on. Lydia looked to Kira but her friend just shook her head with a smile and lead the way to the living room. Two small figures sat in front of the TV watching batman cartoons. Lydia sighed… She was so over this night. 

Claude and Petra looked up at them and smiled, “Morning!” They greeted. 

Kira and Lydia shared a look, “Morning… Why are you two up so early?” Kira asked with a smile, walking over to them.

“That’s what I wanted to know.” 

“Ah!” Lydia screeched and jumped away from the source of the voice— which came from behind her— dropping her bags on the floor as she did so. She turned to find John standing at the kitchen archway, coffee mug in hand. “Jeez, Sheriff! A little warning next time.” 

John laughed, “Good morning to you too, Lydia. Kira.” He greeted, receiving a smile and a polite wave from Kira and a scowl from Lydia.

“No, _not_ good morning!” The strawberry blonde crossed her arms over her chest. “I haven’t slept all night! I am _tired,_ I am worried about Stiles and I’m pretty sure Scott’s mutts are stalking us! It’s not even sunrise yet and I’m already over this day!”

John’s brows furrowed guiltily “I’m sorry—” 

“No! That’s not what I meant.” Lydia cut in, “I don’t blame you for any of this. If you remember correctly, I was the one who offered to help so…” She sighed, “It’s just Scott. He has his pack sniffing around, I just know it and now I’m constantly paranoid that one of them is lurking in the shadows.”

Kira came over to them and placed her hand on Lydia’s shoulder, “We’re _fine,_ Lyds. I don’t sense anyone nearby.” 

Lydia grumbled “Doesn’t mean they’re not watching.” 

John gave Kira an intrigued look, “You can sense werewolves?” 

The Kitsune nodded “They have a very distinct energy to them. Kinda like real wolves, which is why I thought you had dogs before. Claudie and Petra are… still small to be noticeably werewolves.” She then frowned and looked over to the twins, “But there is something differe—” 

**_*Knock Knock*_ **

The adults instantly went silent. John and Lydia looking over to Kira for some form of explanation. Kira shrugged and reached for her Katana before making her way over to the door. Lydia stepped closer to the twins while John reached for his gun inside a vase conveniently placed by the kitchen entrance.

“Do you think he’s asleep?” One voice asked on the other side.

“Don’t know. But Claudie and Rocky would be up by now.”

At the voices, the twins jumped out from behind Lydia. “Sourwolf! Izzy!” Before they could get to the door, John grabbed them. Having human hearing, he didn’t hear the voices so he didn’t want to risk his grandchildren running out to danger.

Kira stepped away quickly when the door opened forcefully to reveal a red eyed, fang faced Derek and a wolfed-out Beta Isaac. They scanned the place for danger quickly, having heard the twins calling out, but at no signs thereof, they put their toys away.

Derek sighed and straightened, his posture loosening, “Sheriff.” He greeted with a nod. John finally released the squirming twins and watched as they sprinted over to Derek and Isaac with such high speed that he wondered how he was even able to catch them that time. He watched with wide eyes as they jumped at the two wolves and Derek and Isaac gracefully caught them like they weighed nothing.

For a long while the four just stood there, scenting each other. They made the perfect family picture. If he wasn’t sure that the kids were Stiles’, John was certain that he would have easily mistaken them as Isaac and Derek’s kids. The two men very obviously loved his grandchildren.

“Jesus, Derek. Don’t you know how to knock?” Lydia broke the silence.

Derek lifted his head from where it had been buried in Claudie’s hair to smirk at Lydia, “I did. Don’t you know how to answer the door? And what are you doing here so early?”

Lydia raised her chin and tossed her hair over her shoulder, “Irrelevant.”

“Uh-huh.” Derek looked over to Kira sheathing her sword, then leaning it against the wall. “Kira Yukimura, been a long time.” He went over to shake her hand with a smile.

Kira grinned, shaking his hand “Derek Hale, good to see you,” She looked past him to Isaac, still wrapped around Petra, taking up small and quiet conversation with her, “Hi, Isaac.”

Isaac’s head snapped up at his name being mentioned. Kira noticed that he looked much better he did in high school. He had a healthy and happy glow to him. “Oh, hi, Kira… Sorry, I’m completely stolen.” He gestured to Petra playing with his necklace. Kira laughed and waved him off, she didn’t mind.

Derek set Claudie down on the couch, knowing Isaac would be joining him instantly, and walked over to John. He was surprised when the man gave him a brief hug, considering were they started. He supposed it was just gratitude for being there for his family. “How are you, Sheriff?” He asked once they moved to the kitchen.

At this point, John knew the term was more friendly and less formal. “Not that good, son. I’m worried about Stiles, but more so about those little kids in there. They don’t even know what’s going on.”

Derek hummed, “You’d be surprised. Wolf pups are actually very perceptive. Sometimes, they know more than we want them to.”

John eyed him. “Why are you so calm about this?”

“Why are you so calm?” the Hale Wolf smirked.

John shrugged, “I feel like it’s what Stiles would want. Even though I don’t know where he is and I’m worried about his wellbeing, I feel like he’s not in mortal danger.”

Derek nodded. “He’s not. Stiles’ wards are still in place, Isaac and I felt them when we entered the protected vicinity.”

John’s eyes widened “He’s protecting the house?”

The wolf nodded “And the area surrounding it. Anyone with malicious intent can’t enter. He has them set up back home in Bennington too…” He placed a hand on John’s shoulder. “We’ll find him, John. And knowing Stiles, he’ll find a way to help us find him.”

John nodded, finding that he believed it for once. He believed in his son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha... I feel like a lot happened without much happening in this but I'd still love to know your thoughts. I'm building it up, it will get very interesting very fast and then it will be none-stop assault after assault of events. Patience, it will be worth it, I promise! 
> 
> Thanks for reading! See you in the next one!  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Stile rescue party holds a long overdue meeting on how to get him back, information is shared and a guest appearance from Peter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, okay! So i really enjoyed writing this chapter, I'm really happy with what i came up with and I'm super excited for you guys to read this! It's much shorter than the others but the most interesting thus far, I think.
> 
> **PLEASE READ HERE: This is where things start getting really... not TW related XD. So, here's what I want you to do. From this point on, forget anything you know, forget all rules of physics, nature and all that and just open your mind up to any and all (im)possibilities because a lot will go down in this story that might either make you go "whoa... cool" or "man, what the hell? this isn't even possible"... It's not meant to be, don't try to rationalize any of this into real world logic. If the story itself in it's internal context makes no sense then by all means question it, but don't tell me it's all too much and impossible in relation to the real world because the human imagination -or at least my brain- has no limit to possibilities. This is fantasy and i can be as absurd as i want to... come along for the ride! ;/**
> 
> Right! Hope you have fun reading this chapter! ;)  
> Onward!

**Beacon Hills  
Stilinski Residence**

Now charged up on caffeine and after a well-deserved rest, the house was bustling with papers and Stiles’ computer was brought downstairs, the printer spitting out papers like sick. The twins being occupied in Stiles’ room with whatever they found entertaining; the adults could get some work done. 

With the main researcher being Lydia —as she was the only one who could read and translate the Beastiary and other Latin sources they found online—, the others were tasked with taking and arranging her information on the cord board they got from the back of Stiles’ closet. John didn’t even know the thing was up there but it already had red threads connecting locations, presumably where he’s spotted the Wraiths and the recent marking, according to the wolf noses was… The Preserve. 

John frowned as he looked at the location. “That looks like where his last location was.” 

Derek picked his head up from Lydia’s notes, “What?” 

“Stiles’ last GPS tracking. It was around this area,” He circled the deep center of the preserve on the map. “But there’s no landmark…”

Isaac and Kira left Lydia’s side to peer at the board too. “That’s the Preserve.” Isaac pointed out before his eyes widened, “Wait… is that—” 

“The Nemeton area.” Derek answered with a nod. 

Kira gaped “Wait… it’s _still_ there?” 

“The Nemeton?" John asked, "That’s the tree Julia Baccari had us trapped under, right? The root cellars?” He would never forget that night. It’s not every day you get kidnapped by your son’s substitute teacher and another thing entirely to find out that there has been an entire world of supernatural super being running around right under your nose and that your son and his group of friends have not only been sleuthing the cases and suicide squad them… but are also part of them.

Derek turned to him with a sad and guilty look. After all, it was his girlfriend at the time that kidnapped the John, Melissa McCall and Chris Argent. The Wolf wondered how much Stiles told John about Jennifer, or Julia, or whatever the hell her name was. Does the Sheriff know that Derek dated the Darach? How does he talk about this topic without blurting out that he was too stupid to believe Stiles when he told him that Jennifer or Julia or whatever, was the Darach? And that if it wasn’t for him, they never would have been kidnapped at all? And Stiles possibly would have not gone through that ritual in the first place... the ritual that started it all...

Derek felt a warm hand slip into his and he clutched it, recognizing the size and feel of Isaac’s hand instantly. The Alpha wolf sighed, “Yes, it’s… It’s a magical tree, well, stump now but basically. It’s what draws the supernatural to Beacon Hills... the ‘beacon in the hills’ if you will. Its power was activated the night we found you…” He stopped, not knowing how much Stiles told his father about that night and it would not be wise to tell John that Stiles had to die to find him and that that was part of the reason why he got possessed. 

John frowned, if that’s the case then why haven’t they had more supernatural creatures flocking every corner of the town. “But we haven’t had a lot of cases since… well since…” He paused, turning back time in his head. 

“Since Stiles left?” Derek asked but it more rhetorical than actual. John’s eyes widened. Hayden said something the previous night about how the supernatural was drawn to Stiles… what was the connection between this tree and his son?

“No…” Lydia whispered, sifting through the papers on the table, throwing them aside and arranging them, “No, no, no… This is bad, this is _very bad_ …” She mumbled frantically, looking disheveled for the first time since John saw her walking out of the woods naked. 

Kira rushed to her side, “Lydia, what’s wrong?” 

The Banshee didn’t even bother looking up, her hands still moving the pages around. She did this for several more minutes before finally looking up with wide eyes. “We have to find Stiles, and we have to find him _fast_.” 

Isaac frowned “Uh, yeah, we know, that’s why we’re doing here—”

“No! You don’t understand!” Lydia stood up, “ _With the peak of bleeding eye in the sky, so shall the merge be completed. Bounded by spark, a gateway to the land of the living. Two become one, neither living, nor dead._ ” She recited from the paper in her hand. Having translated the text, she saw how it might have been cryptic but if she was right, Stiles was in deeper trouble than they thought.

“Bleeding eye in the sky? What does that mean?” Isaac asked. 

“Eye in the sky is the moon.” Kira asked, she shrugged when all eyes turned to her. “The _Skinwalkers_ called it that a lot. They believed the moon was the goddess of night, always watching her "children of night"… the supernatural.” she air quoted.

Isaac’s brows furrowed, “Okay, but the moon doesn’t bleed… Unless they mean a blood moon? But those don’t really happen, right?” 

Lydia nodded, “No, blood moons don’t happen… But eclipses do.” 

“Eclipses aren’t red though. Shouldn’t a “bleeding eye” be red?” John asked, “And I thought we were talking about a moon here, an eclipse happens during the day…” He rubbed his chin in thought. “Unless the book means both the sun and the moon coming together? But that still makes no sense because we still have the “bleeding eye” part to consider and, well, I reiterate, eclipses aren’t red, they’re black-ish…” 

Derek stepped forward, the left side of his chest pressed to the right side of Isaac’s back, an unconscious act that he would feel embarrassed for doing in front of audience that wasn’t Stiles and the twins, but his mind was elsewhere as his left hand lay flat on Isaac’s lower back. He did his eyebrows stunt as his thoughts wondered, not even noticing the slight flush on Isaac’s cheeks as Kira and Lydia’s eyes widened at the obvious intimate touch. They definitely did not expect that, let alone for Derek to show PDA.

“Yes and no,” Derek finally spoke, his eyes meeting John’s. “An eclipse is shadowed to the human eye, yes… But not to wolf eyes.” His eyes flashed red as he let his Alpha vision bleed through, “But to these eyes,” He drummed his fingers on Isaac’s back and nodded him on when the wolf turned his head with a confused look. Isaac nodded and allowed his wolf vision to bleed through as well, revealing an amber glow. Still not used to the sight, John was left in awe of the sight. “And these eyes,” Derek gestured to Isaac’s eyes before continuing, “An eclipse at its highest peak, is blood red.” 

“So, an _eclipse_ is the _blood moon_?” Kira asked, receiving a ‘maybe’ shrug from Derek, whose eyes were still red. He was studying Kira’s form; her aura wasn’t as harsh as it was years ago. Now it only looked like her skin had an orange glow to it, not the harsh leak that it was when they discovered what she is. He smiled to himself and allowed his eyes to go back to their original kaleidoscope green-blue-hazel shade.

While Kira and John – and Isaac to be honest— were too busy being awed, Lydia deciphered the last of the passage. “When is the next eclipse?” 

Kira quickly checked her calendar app, “In _two days_.” She frowned; how could they not have known? Humans always get excited for an eclipse… She realized then that they must have not been watching the news a lot. Herself and Lydia included.

“Why? What’s happening then? What does the eclipse have to do with Stiles’ kidnapping?” asked Isaac. 

“According to the Beastiary, Wraiths drift between the land of the living or dead, but while they can walk in the land of the dead as creatures of death, and in purgatorial dimensions as the inbetweeners, they can’t walk in the land of the living in their corporeal form.” Lydia explained, “But this last piece right here…” She waved the notes scribbled paper in her hand, “It says that they can create a gateway to walk in this world, bounded by a Spark.” 

“So, they need Stiles to do a spell for him? They need his spark?” Kira asked. 

Lydia shook her head, her features twisting into one of agony. “No… They don’t just need spark energy; they need _him_ as a powerful Spark.” 

Derek frowned at Lydia in frustration, she wasn’t making sense. “What’s the difference?”

Licking her dry lips, Lydia met John’s concerned eyes. “They won’t use Stiles’ spark to open a gateway… Stiles _will be_ the gateway.” 

John’s eyes widened, “What does that mean?” 

“It means the Wraiths will bind themselves to Stiles and Stiles to them. His Spark will be _theirs,_ of their _world... That’s_ how they’ll gain corporeal form, because Stiles is alive, his life force will anchor them…” the Banshee whispered in despair, and delivered the finishing blow,

“They will turn Stiles into one of them.” 

**~~***~~** 

**Somewhere in South America**

_“You are so comfortable around me…” Peter whispered, his minty fresh breath fanning across Stiles’ face, making his eyes tingle and water a bit. “Have you ever considered that I might rip your throat out as you slept peacefully?” The older man continued, running a finger across Stiles’ throat._

_The Spark laughed and snuggled closer the wolf’s warmth. They were under the covers and it was hot, but neither of them cared. “Please, you wouldn’t kill me, I’m the best lay you’ve ever had.”_

_Peter snorted and pressed his lips to Stiles’ hairline, “No grey area there, huh?”_

_Stiles tilted his head up and pressed a soft kiss to Peter’s awaiting lips, he grinned at the man when they broke apart, “All colored in... With a red sharpie.” Peter couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him._

**~~~~~~**

“Uncle Peter?” A voice pulled him from his thoughts. The man turned to look at his Betas, they really have come a long way since he found them on the run. Now in a healthy pack, they absolutely glowed as wolves and they continue growing as individuals. “You okay?” The little brunette asked. 

“Marvelous.” The Alpha wolf answered. 

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Peter?” His second beta asked, “I mean why are we even going to Beacon Hills? We left for a reason.”

Peter turned his back to them and looked out at the lake overlooking their house. He didn’t know how to explain it but something was calling him back to his home town. The same calling that he once felt when his pack was whole, before everything, before the _fire._ But this pull was stronger. He’s never felt this this strong from this far away before… But he was going to investigate this sudden surge of need. 

“And we’re going back for a reason.” He said simply. “Once we find out what it is, we’ll leave.” 

The woman sighed in acceptance, “Okay!” she shrugged like it didn’t matter to her ether way.

Peter turned to them with a raised brow, “You do _know_ you don’t have to come with me, right? I could just go alone and I’ll be back before you know it.” 

The big—dark skinned— man scoffed, “Yeah, because that’s worked out so well every time you set foot in Beacon Hills.” He rolled his eyes, “We’re going with you because you’re our Alpha now and what kinda Betas would we be if we left you defenseless?” 

It was Peter’s turn to roll his eyes, “Since when have I been defenseless?” 

“You know what he means, Peter.” His niece glared at him, “We just wanna make sure that you don’t die this time, you’re too fond of that.” 

Peter laughed. Now if that isn’t a line, he’s heard a thousand times. “Zombiewolf” is what Stiles called him. His smile faded; he really missed his Red Riding Hood. He wonders what happened after the incident that tore them apart… He’d always expressed his wish that Stiles leave that hellhole but his boy always changed the topic, preferring not to speak of it and Peter knew he would forever wish to stay by his father’s side. And for McCall… 

It’s been five years since that day. Peter never went back because he felt he was only bringing problems to Stiles. He wanted Stiles to have a normal life, to date random people that he will never see again, to go to college and make normal friends. He prayed every night that that is exactly what Stiles has been doing. He knew his boy would not make stupid mistakes, because it’s Stiles, he never makes stupid decisions. But he could only wish that dating a bad person was the most of Stiles’ worries. 

“Uncle Peter, is this about… Stiles?” Cora asked hesitantly, knowing the Spark was a sensitive topic for Peter and half expecting him to chew her out. But Peter was calmer now and less more likely to simply not answer her than to growl or threaten.

Her Uncle sighed, “I don’t know… maybe. But it feels more than that. I can’t explain it, it’s just a solid tug in my chest… like pack.” 

Cora’s face fell, “Do you think it’s Derek? That he might be in trouble?”

Peter didn’t say anything. First, because he doubted it was Derek; and second, he didn’t want Cora to know that his pack bond with Derek died when his nephew killed him. To his wolf, Derek was family but not _pack._ He knew knowledge of this would break Cora's heart as they were the only two family members she had left... Pack bond severing was a serious matter and it would take a lot to get it back if they ever did. But Peter would never see Derek as a stranger... he was still his nephew and Peter cared about him. 

“Argh! So like Derek to get himself in trouble and then _we_ gotta bail him out!” his blonde Beta groaned. “ _Fine,_ let’s go! But if he acts up, I’ll have his throat!”

Peter smirked… wondering how Boyd even dealt with Erica on a daily basis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! Waddaya think, huh?! =D
> 
> If I'm not mistaken this is... Do any of you actually real my A/Ns?... Anyway, if I'm not mistaken, this is the last chapter where not much is happening. From the next chapter things start picking up so congratulations for making it this far, champ! Golden star for you!
> 
> Thanks so much for reading, sorry for any errors or mistakes, not intentional at all and I will see you in the next one.  
> Love you and TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter we go over to see how Stiles is doing. The Sheriff's mini party is kinda planned? And another one bites it as the wraiths strike again... but who? Mwahahahah! *cough cough* Sorry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long chapter... much longer than any before, almost 5k words... I know, mind blown!  
> Sorry, this is a day late, had a bit of a situation yesterday and I couldn't post, apologies for the wait. 
> 
> Alright! Enjoy!  
> Onward!

**Wraith Realm**

_“You can’t do that! It’s what they want, Peter!” Stiles ran to the door and closed it before Peter could reach it. “If you go over there now, the pack will know that we’re dating, you’re not thinking clearly—Peter!” He grabbed the wolf’s arms and held tight, shaking him as he spoke “You’re the one who didn’t want them to know and any other time I’d be happy to see you not caring but you can’t hurt any of them! It’ll only make things worse!”_

_Peter wretched himself from Stiles’ grip and met him with a glare “You let this happen! You let them use you and I constantly tell you Stiles! Over and over again, I tell you to leave those imbeciles but you refuse to listen!” His eyes flashed red in absolute fury as he kept staring at the dark bruise on Stiles’ cheekbone “Just as I told you to leave this place! Why don’t you ever listen?!”_

_“Don’t!” Stiles’ own eyes flashed purple, he took a menacing step forward, jabbing his finger at Peter’s chest “You don’t get to order me around! You don’t get to lecture me on my choices! I am not your child!”_

_This time Peter grabbed him Peter grabbed him by the arms “No! What you are, Stiles, is my mate! And it infuriates me to see you hurting!” He took a huge breath to calm himself, realizing it was the first time he told Stiles the state of their relationship from his end. He stared into the wide eyes of his Spark and brushed his thumb over the bruise on his cheek._

_“One day you will realize your worth, darlin’. And I hope I’m there to see it.”_

*~~~~~~~~*

“Peter!” Stiles woke up with a start. For a moment he had absolutely no idea where he was and with whom. He looked around, oh yeah… he was in the bad guys lair. He doesn’t even remember falling asleep, the last thing he remembers doing before waking up is… He ran to the window quickly and ripped the curtains apart.

“Aaand it’s still dark… damnit.” He turned to the bed, wondering how he got there. The thought of Sebastian’s hands on him sent shivers of revulsion up his spine. There was something about this place, he was busy searching for a way out when he suddenly felt extremely tired. Still, he kept searching, not willing to give up and then, he woke up on the bed. 

He looked down; his “room” was too high for him to jump out and the plan here is to escape, not to die. He could open the damn window, but getting out was a different matter, there weren’t nearly enough cloths to get him down to the ground. As for his door… it’s been locked ever since Sebastian left. His room has an en-suite bathroom and the bathroom itself had no external door besides the one in Stiles’ room. If he wants to get out, he’d have to fool the owner of the house… Or one of his many servants because Stiles was pretty sure the place definitely had at least a dozen servants.

**_*Knock Knock*_ **

Stiles turned to the door and snapped “What?!”

The door opened to reveal a red headed man with deep black eyes, the irises too large for an ordinary human but the sclera still showing. “Good morning, my Lord—” 

“No.” Stiles clipped, “I am _not_ your Lord, I am _nothing_ to you. If you have anything to say to me, call me Stiles, that’s my name.” And what the hell does he mean good morning, it’s still dark out there.

The man nodded, he looked older than Stiles, more like Derek’s age, but a bit younger than Sebastian. “As you wish… His Majesty sends regards and apologies. He will not be able to join you for breakfast.” 

“Oooh, and I’m all heartbroken.” Deadpanned the Spark. He tilted his head curiously when the man in front of him tipped his head lowly to hide the amused smile that obviously slipped without permission. Stiles narrowed his eyes… maybe it isn’t Sebastian he needs to get to. 

Allowing his body to relax, Stiles allowed his spark to dance under his skin. Nothing energy burning about releasing his pheromones, the wraith will not be able to pick up that he is doing it intentionally but it will have an effect on him. He watched as the man’s head snapped up, eyes wide and searching. “What’s your name?” Stiles asked, knowing that the man would answer without restraint.

“Caspian.” 

Oh, come on! Stiles almost snorted but he swallowed it back. Who named these people—who named these wraiths?!— Alright, game face Stilinski. He nodded to the window, “What’s out there, Caspian?” 

The man’s eyes flickered to the window before coming back to Stiles. “Everything… and nothing.” He whispered.

Stiles frowned, okay, so maybe not what he wanted to know. Different tactic. He stepped closer to the man, damning his short stature, or maybe wraiths were just huge, because Sebastian also towers a full head above him. He paused in front of him, close enough that he had to look up at him. “Where are we, Caspian?”

Caspian looked down at Stiles, his eyes still clouded as Stiles worked his magic on him. “The world between worlds.”

Stiles gaped, “Purgatory?” 

Caspian shook his head, “Our realm. A dimension sitting between the human world and the land of the dead.” 

“Caspian!” A female voice called down the hall. “Let’s go! What are you doing over there?” 

Stiles blinked and settled his spark, shaking his hands as his fingertips numbed. Caspian blinked confusedly and turned to face the woman before looking back at Stiles. “So, Sebastian is out?” Stiles asked, receiving a nod from Caspian. The Spark shrugged indifferently, “Fine, whatever. Not like I can go anywhere.” He meant it too because he knew he’d have to gather more information before running out there like a headless chicken.

The still confused wraith nodded again, “A server shall be sent shortly with your breakfast.” With a small bow he reversed out of the room. 

Stiles walked back over to the window, massaging his hands to gain back feeling. This place was bad for him, usually enforcing a thrall over people with his pheromones wasn’t this hard. But now he feels like he’s just activated a difficult ward, those were the ones that sometimes-limited blood circulation to his arms and hands. Looking towards the sky, Stiles noticed the red clouds. This place looked like a thing out of a horror movie but he knew he had to at least get out of the castle. 

Yes, that’s what he’s in… a _freaking castle._

Stiles sighed and slid down to sit under the window. A mirror world, huh? If there’s anything Stiles knows about mirror worlds is that, there is always a way to communicate with the other world… How did the Wraiths do it? Well, if there was anywhere to start, the Spark supposed that was it.

He sighed and closed his eyes, a face flashing behind his closed lids.

“You’re too good for this place, darling… Beacon Hills doesn’t deserve you.”

Stiles opened his eyes. Before he woke up, he was sure that he was safely home and in bed with… Peter… But he was just a dream. Of course, Peter was a dream.

How could Stiles think otherwise, when he saw him die himself…

**~~***~~**

**Beacon Hills  
Stilinski Residence**

It was late afternoon when they finally decided to take a break and Kira ordered pizza. Isaac stole himself away to spend time with the twins before they had to come down for lunch. John was convinced to go up to his room and rest for a while before lunch, since he didn’t really get much sleep all night and Lydia took that opportunity to put her plans in motion. 

The Banshee walked through the kitchen to find Derek at the fridge. “Alright… How are we gonna get the cake here?” She asked. Derek closed the door and raised a brow at her. Lydia groaned, “It’s Mr S’s birthday Derek.” 

Derek’s eyes widened. He totally forgot. To be fair and in his defense, they have a lot to deal with and he doubted John himself remembered that it was his birthday… But Stiles would have, he always did, that’s why he was here to begin with. Wow… Derek felt like a jerk. Stiles would have chewed his head off. Placing his glass on the kitchen counter. “Uhm, do you wanna order one or…?” 

Lydia rolled her eyes, “Please. If I order one, what guarantee do I have that it’s fresh enough? No, I’ll go pick one up. There’s a coffee shop I know of just outside of town, they make the best baked goods and lucky for us… they also make cakes!” 

Derek frowned, “Then why did you ask how we’re gonna get it here?” 

“Because, Derek, I can’t exactly waltz through the door with cake and have the Sheriff see it before I prepare it and all of that.” 

The Alpha wolf nodded. “Okay… When do you plan to have it ready by?” 

Lydia shrugged, “Dinnertime. We could make it a dinner party sort of thing.”

“Okay. If the Sheriff gets up before then, I’ll distract him and text you.” 

Satisfied with the answer and not really with how Derek would do that, Lydia grabbed her apple and headed out, but before she could get to the door, Derek materialized behind her, grabbing her arm to stop her. “Ow! What?!” The Banshee cried.

“There’s someone out there.” Lydia was taken off by the growl, why would Derek be so heated unless… 

“Wolf?” If it were one of the wraiths, Lydia would know. Kira joined them then, her shrug discouraging Lydia. Until she remembered that her friend can only tell that a person is a wolf in close proximity. 

“Hmm… Isaac.” He barely raised his voice and the Beta was down the next moment. “Keep an eye on the kids. Kira, come with me.” 

“Oh! Uh, yeah, that’s not a good idea!” Lydia cried. 

“Lydia.” Kira growled, “I’m fine.” 

“Uh-huh, that’s what you said last time and Scott went flying.” 

“Yeah, Scott! Not the whole pack,” retorted Kira with a smirk, “That one was on you, girl.” 

“Because of you, moron!” 

Derek raised a brow, “Wait, what?” Both women went to explain but he cut them off, “Nevermind. Look, someone is out there and I’m going to investigate.”

“I’ll go with you.” Isaac offered, “Kira can stay with the kids. If she’s still hostile towards wolves—which is what I assume she and Lydia are on about—, then she’s the better option for protecting the twins.” 

Derek shook his head, “No. In that case, stay with Kira. I don’t want you out there, in case it’s something bad.” 

“Derek, there’s nothing to worry about if it’s just Scott’s pack…” Isaac frowned, “Why hasn’t he come here anyway? You think the wards are working on him too?” 

“If he has malicious intent then… yes.” Derek looked at Lydia, “Why would he be here anyway? Did you tell him about Stiles being kidnapped?” 

Lydia scoffed incredulously, “Wha-! Color me offended!” 

“Hayden said Scott had an eye on us, they must have tracked us here.” Kira explained. “We kinda got into it when they started talking about Stiles last night, so…”

“What did they say?” Isaac growled, which, wow, from sweet Isaac, it was terrifying. 

“Can we not have this conversation later?!” Lydia snapped, “They’re not gonna wait for us to finish talking you know.” 

“Okay, so we just wait them out. Simple.” 

“No, Kira, not simple! I need to go get the Sheriff’s birthday cake.” She whispered the last part. “And I’m pretty sure they’ll ambush me the second I leave.” The house phone went off suddenly. The four stared at each other before Derek rolled his eyes and went to pick it up but Lydia stopped him, “Wait, it might be Scott calling. They don’t know you’re here yet. Let me answer it.” The wolf nodded and handed the phone over to Lydia. “Stilinski residence.” 

“Lydia… so you are in there.” Came Scott’s voice. “Something’s wrong, we can’t reach Stiles’ house, we keep going around in circles. Let me talk to Stiles.” 

“So sorry, Scott, but Stiles is unavailable right now, do you want me to take a message?” 

“What happened to his phone?” Scott asked, “I tried calling him earlier and it wouldn’t go through.” 

Lydia took a deep calming breath. “What do you want Scott?” She bit out, “Remember when I said you only seek out Stiles when you want something? Well, this is one of those times, I just know it. So how about you tell me what you want?” 

There was a long pause and what sounded like arguing and complaining before Scott spoke into the phone again, “Look… one of my wolves went missing last night, okay? And I think…” He sighed. He actually had the nerve to sigh. “I think maybe Stiles was right.” 

A vein twitched on Lydia’s forehead, she turned to find angry expressions on the others’ faces. “Really? And why is that?” 

“Jackson said something about seeing shadows with glowing green eyes.” 

Lydia sighed, “And it took Jackson seeing something and losing a packmate for you to believe always reliable Stile— wait… which packmate went missing?” Please don’t let it be her… please don’t let it be her.

“Ethan.” 

Lydia’s heart fell. On one hand she was glad that Hayden was fine, on the other hand… Ethan is Jackson’s boyfriend and she knows Jackson must be losing it. It’s hard to not care for the douchebag and his feelings, after caring for so long. “Damnit…” she muttered. Chancing a glance at the others, she made a decision. “We’ll meet you in the Preserve.” With that she hung up. 

“Well… Looks like Mr S’s cake will have to be delivered after all.” 

**~~***~~**

**The Preserve**

Derek was livid. He was angry! How in the hell did he get dragged into a meeting with a pack he had intentions of avoiding like the plague? Call him an optimist or a bloody idiot, but Derek’s plan was to avoid Scott pack by any and all means necessary… even if he had to act like a criminal in his own home town and his own land. Yes, the Preserve was still Hale territory, no matter how Scott claimed it and how he – Derek – himself and Peter… His heart sank at the thought of Peter. No matter how he himself and Cora abandoned it, he adjusted. 

Also yes, it was his plan to confront Scott if the man wanted to bombard Stiles with his shenanigans after they got him back. But this… Helping Scott with lost betas?

This was not a part of rescuing Stiles. The plan was to help his own… Ethan, was not his own. He was partially responsible for the disappearance of Erica and Boyd. For all Derek cared, Ethan could get eaten by a stray Wendigo. But who the hell could say no to Lydia Martin? Unless they wanted to get tinnitus. 

So here he stood, staring down a pack of incompetent menaces, doing everything in his power not to lash out in frustration. Yeah, he could finally live up to his nickname, cause bitch… He was sour as fuck! 

“Derek, Isaac, what... Where’s Stiles?” was the first thing that Scott asked when they broke through the trees. And by “they” Derek means himself, Lydia and of course, the ever-insistent Isaac. As planned, Kira stayed behind to protect the Stilinskis. Derek needed to work on his resolve with Isaac, honestly, he was letting him get away with too much lately.

“My god! You’re really an idiot, aren’t you?” Lydia snapped. “Don’t you think it’s weird that you haven’t been able to get a hold of Stiles for what, a full day now? One of the qualities that I both hate and admire about Stiles is that he wouldn’t ignore you for this long knowing that there’s a possibility that you could be calling because you need help, especially with a new monster running amok in town, and of course coupled with the fact that you only call when you do want help, Stiles would have gotten back to you by now. So, why do you think he hasn’t?” Jesus, who made this guy the True Alpha again? They were obviously drunk or higher than a Pluto or both.

“We thought he was avoiding us because we didn’t believe him.” The boy Derek remembers as Liam spoke up. “But we know now that he was telling the truth.” Funny how he looked guiltier than his Alpha. 

“Took you long enough.” The brunette sitting off to the side on a log grumbled before looking up at Derek and Isaac. “Sup… Hayden.” She gave a small wave. She doesn’t think they remember her, seeing as she didn’t really cross paths much with them when they lived here. Except on the battlefield… there were a lot of those. 

Nod. “Derek.”

Small wave. “Isaac.” 

Hayden nodded. She would not tell them that she knew and recognized them… after all, they were all rooming in Derek’s loft, what kind of person would she be if she didn’t at least know her landlord? She rolled her eyes and stood, “So, are you gonna tell them or what? At this point, it pains me to see them chasing their tails.” 

“Tell us what?” Allison asked, her glare shifting between Derek and Hayden. 

_Huh, still mad I see,_ Derek thought to himself.

Lydia raised an impressed brow at Hayden, “You haven’t told them anything?”

“Told us what?” Jackson asked. The wolf hasn’t changed one bit in Derek’s opinion. Still looking like a pompous, narcissistic, egotistical, maniacal asshole. Still speaks like one too. 

Hayden shrugged, ignoring her packmates in favor of answering Lydia. “I said I wouldn’t.” 

Scott popped a vein then. “Hayden! You said you weren’t hiding anything from us! What is it you haven’t told us?” 

“It’s not mine to tell, so I’m not telling you, Scott.” 

Scott’s eyes flashed red, his teeth elongating into sharp fangs as his temper peaked. “I have had it with your attitude. I’m your Alpha! If I tell you to tell me everything—” 

“Still think everything is about you, I see?” Derek scoffed, “And to think Peter thought you’d make a better Alpha than me at some point.” He mumbled to himself. Not really caring whether he’d be heard or not. Scott turned to growl at him, causing Derek to roll his eyes so hard he felt a headache coming. Bitch, please.

“He is a better alpha than you or your psycho uncle have ever been or ever will be.” Came Allison’s snarky comeback. Derek just met her eyes and smirked. She’s big mad but whatever. 

“Can we cut it with all this bullshit?!” Jackson yelled, “Ethan is missing! Stilinski knows what took him, we need his help so where is he?!” 

“Stiles is missing, you asshole!” Lydia snarled. Derek gave her a sharp look which she ignored. She knew Derek would wait until they were back at the Stilinski household before saying anything. “He’s been missing for almost a full day now.” 

“What?! Why didn’t you tell us?” Scott yelled; his Alpha face long forgotten in favor of shock. Yeah, right, like he cared. Or maybe he did… He cared that the one person who could come up with a solid enough plan to get his strongest Beta back was kidnapped along with said beta. If they were right… Ethan was taken by the same Wraiths that took Stiles. 

Isaac shrugged “Why would we? You didn’t seem to care when he told you about the wraiths. Now that they have one of your own, you care that Stiles is missing?” 

“I care about Stiles!” Scott yelled, “I just didn’t believe him because we thought he was just being paranoid being back after so long.” 

“Stiles is many things; paranoid is never one of them.” Derek injected, “Sparks are very in tuned with nature itself, as well as everything supernatural… Or did your own self-importance make you forget that that’s what Stiles is?” Scott’s eyes widened. He had forgotten, Stiles told him what Deaton said but Scott just thought that Deaton meant that Scot could only do tricks with mountain ash. And after the incident with the Nogitsune and Allison almost dying, Scott saw Stiles as a liability.

“What’s a Spark?” Liam asked. 

“Irrelevant.” Lydia brushed him off, “What _is_ relevant is that we have our own friend to find… why should we be worried about yours?” Okay, so maybe Derek wasn’t as mad at Lydia as he had initially thought. Obviously, she wouldn’t be here if she wasn’t going to help anyways but Lydia was not Stiles. She could lead you on and leave you hanging dry, depending on how the McCall pack plead their case, this could go either way and Derek would entertain for now because the idiots might provide usefulness. 

“Lydia, come on!” Jackson cried, “It’s Ethan!” 

The Banshee shrugged, “And? Ethan means nothing to me.” 

“But he means everything to me!” There was a long pause after Jackson’s outburst. They all just stood there, watching for the first time as he hung his head, “Please… I know Stilinski doesn’t like me and I’ll help find him if it means you’ll help me find Ethan.” 

Lydia sighed and looked at Derek. The man looked at Isaac, turns out love broke the hardest walls and brought down the toughest men to their knees. He knew if something happened to Isaac, he would be in the same state as Jackson and maybe even worse. At least Jackson wasn’t ripping throats out.

“No.” Allison stepped up. “I have my hunters, Jackson, we can find Ethan on our own. We don’t need them. The only thing we need is the Beastiary, which, by the way, I told you to return, Lydia.” 

“Did you? I must have forgotten to note that in my diary, Allison.”

Hayden raised her hands in surrender, “And I said; how are you even gonna read it? But apparently I’m the idiot for even asking.” 

“Hay!” Liam hissed. 

“The book is mine, Lydia! I don’t care that I can’t read it, it’s Argent property and it belongs with and to me!” At this point, the Huntress was falling short of stomping her foot like a spoiled child who wasn’t getting what she wanted.

Lydia smirked, “Okay… The book is at Stiles’ house in his room. If you want it… go take it.” Her smirk widened when she saw the smirks on Derek and Isaac’s faces from her periphery. “Oh, that’s right… You can’t take it. Because you can’t even find the Stilinski house.” 

Scott growled and stepped forward, “ _What did you do?_ ” 

“Us? Nothing,” Isaac shrugged, “But Stiles is one heck of an Emissary and he protects his pack… Even when he’s not here.” That shocked the McCall pack. They didn’t know much but they knew that in order to be an emissary, you needed to be able to cast spells. “Stiles warded the area surrounding the house. No uninvited guests allowed.” 

That one was a major ball buster for Scott because he thought that through it all, Stiles would forever prioritize him but what Isaac was saying was that… “So, we can’t enter the area? Not even me? That’s impossible, Stiles can’t do magic like that.”

“Wrong again, dear Alpha.” Hayden piped up. She really did not know how to learn a lesson. She almost revealed bragging rights on the invitation that she had but she supposed it would only be used against her in the long run, so she stayed quiet. “I mean, we’ve circled this area like four times while walking in a straight line, so… I’d say it is possible and that he can do magic.” She left out the part where she simply circled with them even as she could see a clear path to Stiles’ house.

“Okay… So, Stilinski can do magic, that’s great. But he can’t help us if he’s not here so how do we find him… and hopefully Ethan?” Trust Jackson to keep the objective at hand.

Lydia looked to Derek and Isaac again, waiting for the two to nod before revealing their information. “We might know where Stiles went last before he was taken and if we’re right… We’re gonna try to track him first before we plan anything solid.” Planning anything would be a disaster with their main strategist being the one needing rescue this time but there was something in there about women and how they can do anything they set their minds to and blah blah blah. 

Jackson nodded and stepped closer, “Alright, I’m coming.”

“You know I’m there.” Hayden added. Walking over to give her boyfriend a gentle kiss before pulling away, intending to join Lydia but Liam grabbed her before she got far.

“What? No, Hayden—” 

“Lydia is my friend, Liam, and you know I can’t just sit by when they might have a way to save Ethan.” She didn’t mention that she was doing this more for Stiles than for Ethan but that was a don’t ask don’t tell kind of information.

“Hayden, Jackson. I didn’t say we could work with them yet.” Scott went into puny wittle Alpha mode. 

Jackson rolled his eyes, “Then why are we even here, McCall? The only way we’re gonna get it is by helping them find Stiles. If that’s what it takes to get Ethan back, I don’t need to ask permission from you. If Allison was in danger, you wouldn’t waste a second to consider whether a plan is good or bad, you’d be charging in first. 

So, you can’t fault me for doing the same for my boyfriend.” 

Scott grit his teeth “Ethan is my Beta, Jackson, I also want to find him, just as much as you do.”

Jackson nodded, “I highly doubt that, but if that’s the case then show it. For once, make the right decision first and accept their help while the offer is on the table.” Wow, if Lydia had known that Ethan going missing was all it would take to royally humble Jackson, Lydia might have staged it his kidnapping a long time ago.

Scott hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Fine, we’ll go see where—” 

“No,” Derek cut in, “You’re not coming. Hayden and Jackson will come with us, they’ll update you on what we find. Too many wolves will draw attention.” 

Allison glared, “Sure, cause that’s what it is. Clearly it isn’t because you don’t like Scott.”

“I don’t like Scott.” Derek scoffed, “I know it, he knows it, everybody here knows it, it’s not exactly breaking news. But I do think the less people going to investigate the crime sight at the same time, the better. If something happens to us, you’ll know and you’ll need Scott as your alpha to plan the next step… Does that satisfy you, Argent?” He smirked when Allison’s cheeks flamed in anger and she glared, having nothing smart to say back. 

Theo jumped up and spoke for the first time. “Alright, if we’re worried about something popping up, you’ll need some extra muscle then. That’s where I come in! Besides, I wouldn’t miss a fight if I can help it and Ethan is my guy, so…” He shrugged with a smirk. 

Derek studied him with narrowed eyes. The kid’s loyalty was questionable especially since he lied about being an experiment… A Chimera. But he was still here so, Derek supposed he was useful for something. And this gave him a good excuse to get rid of Isaac. 

Scott squared his shoulders. “Alright, fine, go. We’ll go back to where Ethan was when he disappeared and we’ll compare notes later...”

Liam stepped forward, “Wait, if that’s the case, then I should go with them too! Hayden is my girlfriend; I can’t leave her with strangers.”

“Don’t worry champ! Jacks and I got her back.” Theo gave him a wink, “Why don’t you stick with boss man? We’ll keep you updated.” 

Liam hesitated but he nodded a moment later after Hayden reassuring smile. Scott, wanting to assert his authority, decided to speak up. “Liam you’re with me.” He ordered, like that wasn’t already decided. Then he met Derek’s eyes with a glare, “Remember Derek… These are my Betas, something happens to them, I’m putting this on you.” 

Lydia scrunched up her face, “What? How? They’re doing this to find Ethan, one of your own! What the f—” 

“Yeah, but they’re going to find Stiles for you first so… you’re welcome.” Allison added and turned on her heel, heading off in the opposite direction, Scott, Liam and the other pack members following her like her loyal flock. Lydia shook her head and laughed, not even having anything to say to that. 

Allison and Scott really were the poisoned versions of Romeo and Juliet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you likey? I did! But then I wrote this... so... Okay. Thoughts, feelings, predictions? Do share!  
>  **Question: Anyone else like dialogue heavy stories? Or is it just me? I get kinda bored when people dont talk in a story hehe! Oh! Unless there's some serious action going on!**  
>  Apologies for any mistakes and/or errors.
> 
> Thanks for reading! You're the bestest!  
> Love ya and TTFN!  
> \--Nixie


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hehe, last chapter I made a mistake by saying we had Derek/Isaac smooshy goodness... It's the first point of order in this chapter so... **DEREK/ISAAC MOOSHY FLUFFINESS AHEAD!** Hehe! We have some BAMF Stiles moments, Derek and Lydia share a moment and the gang continues their mission to look for clue on Stiles' (and Ethan's) disappearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... HAHAHA! I know many of you are super excited for Peter's arrival... I am sad to say... He will not be here for a few more chapters. Reason being that, this entire story takes place in a span of 2-3 days and I wrote events hourly, as close to real time as possible. You know a lot can happen in a single day and as I said, he's in South America so he will be taking a while to reach Beacon Hills, but time doesn't stand still... stuff has to happen. But you'll still find it enjoyable before his arrival as we point the light more at Stiles now. 
> 
> I would tell you which chapter he will finally be arriving but i'm kinda worried you'll skip to that chapter XD! So... I will not tell. I will say this though!... You will be getting seeing his arrival tonight/today (it's nighttime here). And that is all the hope I am willing to spread.
> 
> Happy reading, lovelies!  
> Onward!

**Beacon Hills Preserve**

Derek’s group walked for a while until Derek pulled Isaac aside. Waiting for the others to move forward a bit before speaking. “Hey… I need you to go back to the house. Kira will need help with the kids.” 

Isaac shrugged, “Mr Stilinski is there.” He turned to follow the group but Derek stopped him. 

“Isaac. I _want_ you to go back.”

The beta frowned, “Why? Derek, you need to stop putting me in a glass box! I need to help this time, Jesus!”

“And you will be getting the most important task of all! Protecting Claudie and Rocky.” Derek sighed, “Look, as I told Scott, we don’t know what we’ll find, but if something happens, we need a contingency plan. We can’t leave Kira alone to do all the work, Stiles trusts us to make the right decisions in his absence and right now, I have a lot of muscle with me, but the twins don’t. They’ll need their Uncle Izzy… Especially since we don’t know how long it’ll be before we find Stiles.” 

Isaac looked into his eyes and that’s when he knew. There wasn’t anything he could say that would deter Derek. But he was right, if danger comes, Kira could only do so much. He looked ahead to see the others have paused, presumably to wait for them… Or Derek. Hayden was yelling at Theo not to eavesdrop on their conversation and Lydia was telling the same to Jackson.

Isaac looked back to Derek, eyes filled with uncertainty “And you’ll be back soon? I’m serious, Derek, don’t pull a Stiles on me.”

Derek surged forward and pressed his lips to Isaac’s in a sweet but passionate kiss that burned with intent. Isaac melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Derek’s neck as the Alpha deepened the kiss. Isaac’s ears began buzzing, all sounds turning to white noise as he lost himself to his alpha, but he did hear the distinct sharp tone of a whistle. Derek released his lips with a groan, touching his temple to Isaac’s forehead as he glared at… was it Theo who whistled or Hayden?

Grumbling again, Derek dipped his head low to place a soft kiss on Isaac’s neck, just were his pulse beat under his skin. Isaac shivered at the sensation and pressed his own kiss to Derek’s pulse when the man pulled back. 

Derek chuckled when Isaac lingered, running his nose over his neck to scent him, “I’m not going to battle, babe.” 

“You don’t _know_ that.” Isaac mumbled into his neck before pulling away. He pressed one last kiss to Derek’s lips before pulling away. “I lo—” 

Derek placed a gentle finger on his mouth, “Don’t.” He whispered against his lips, replacing his finger with his lips, placing a firm kiss to the plump lips beneath his. Lord help him, he loved Isaac’s lips. “You can tell me when I get back… You guys can get the dinner party started if we’re not back in time but save me a slice, will you?” He flashed his gorgeous beta – in more ways than one – a secret and intimate grin only Isaac, Stiles and the twins have witnessed thus far. 

Isaac snorted, “You don’t like cake.” 

“I know but—”

“Hey! Loverboys! Tick tock! What’s taking so long?!” Jackson yelled, receiving a pinch in the arm from Lydia. It hurt so back, he was sure she came away with skin, the way it stung. The witch has long nails, okay?! That shit hurt like a bitch!

Derek sighed and pressed nose to Isaac’s curls, pulling away he brushed a thumb over Isaac’s cheekbone with a smile. “Be back before you know it.” 

Isaac nodded and turned on his own path, taking up a jogging pace, knowing that he just might follow them if he doesn’t get out of there fast. Derek watched him go with a tug in his chest, hoping that circumstances wouldn’t make a liar out of him, Isaac wouldn’t take that very well. With one final glance at his mate, Derek joined the others. 

Hayden laughed when he reached them, “Holy shit, you guys had me hot and bothered! I mean I see Jackson with Ethan all the time but it’s gotten to feel like an old movie! I’m glad I have a new BL couple to fangirl over! And with Isaac being that cute and you all muscle man! Oh my gosh! It’s like watching Asian and Anime BL starring wolves!” 

Jackson groaned, “Jesus, shut up!” 

Theo blanched, his laugh echoing through the woods.

**~~***~~**

**Wraith Realm**

Stiles walked out of his bathroom with the change of clothes they left behind and what century was this? Where men had to wear suits and on his way to his room, he saw two women in dresses okay? I mean what the hell?! They out here terrorizing people in skirts? Pfft! Stiles was no longer scared my guy! At this point, he’s in Shakespeare Land! 

So here he was, dressed in a deep red shirt with black dress pants and fuck the jacket, Stiles was not giving Snake Eyes the satisfaction. Okay, so his pupils aren’t slits, but eyes should not be that green, okay? They look like cat eyes if cat eyes looked human, only greener, so yeah, they’re also freaky for feline eyes. Creep factor at eighty-seven, minimum! 

He dropped the blazer on the bed only to sport a tray of food on the bedside table. The tray contained fruits… a lot of fruits. And… Oh my god… Curly fries, what the freaking shit, man?! This dude has been legit stalking Stiles for a very long time! No way was he touching those… okay so he was hungry and curly fries sounded good… but not that good. Besides, he had work to do, he couldn’t sit there and eat.

Grabbing an apple, he made his way to the door. Placing his ear on the door, he closed his eyes and listened, munching on the apple quietly. The amazing thing about living with wolves? They teach you how to develop and extend you human senses. Stiles, although not having supernatural hearing, he does have sharper senses than normal humans. Like seeing better in the dark and having a sharper sense of smell and of course… hearing.

Three footsteps, he looked at the clock on the far wall and counted… Two minutes later, the footsteps passed again… next ones took longer, four minutes… then two minutes again… Damnit! They weren’t patterned. Unless…

He tossed the remaining apple and knocked on the door, then he rushed over to the bed and feigned nonchalance. A moment later someone was standing on the other side of the door, it was stupid because Stiles could see his shadow underneath the door. The person knocked on the door “My Lord?” she asked. 

Stiles rolled his eyes and stood. He opened the door with a bored look, “Yes?”

The girl could have been Stiles’ age, if not a bit younger. Dark hair, doe eyes and much like… Jeez, what was his name again? Castus? Casper? CASPIAN! Right. She had the same eyes as Caspian but on her they looked cute… ish. “You summoned?” The girl asked. 

“No.” 

The girl blinked. “Oh!” She said, almost seeming embarrassed. Did Stiles misjudge these creatures? They seemed more human than he is. “My apologies! I thought I heard a knock.” 

Stiles shrugged, “Next door maybe?”

“Oh! No, that isn't possible! This wing belongs to His Majesty… and of course, you, My Lord.” 

Stiles’ vein popped. “What’s your name?” 

“Marisela.” Alright, Stiles just might consider marrying this guy, if only to declare that all Wraiths be renamed. 

“Marisela…” He nodded, narrowing his eyes at her. “Why do you… _people,_ call me "My Lord"?” 

Marisela’s eyes widened. “Oh, I don’t know if I should say-” 

“Fine. Where’s Castus?” 

The wraith wrinkled her nose confusedly, “Castus, my Lord?” 

Stiles’ eyes widened for a second, he bit his lip in thought, “No, that’s not it… uh… Capulus.” 

“Caspian?” the girl provided.

“Right! Him. Where is he?” 

“Running errands, my Lord, is there anything _I_ can do for you?” To Stiles she almost seemed too eager to help… almost as if crying for a task of importance. _Bingo,_ Stiles thought to himself. He opened the door further and retreated back into the room to stand at the center. As expected, Marisela followed, stepping into the room but not closing the door.

“First you can start by not calling me your _Lord,_ I hate that, my name is Stiles and second; I’m bored, I want out of this room.” Stiles gestured to the space around him.

Marisela’s eyes widened. Now, his many years dealing with all types of big bad has taught Stiles something important: People only ever acted jittery around people who were supposed to be prisoners if they are doing this whole bad guy thing for the first time. If they placed an amateur to guard him then they truly underestimated him. “I’m afraid you’re restricted to your quarters until his Majesty returns.” 

Stiles nodded, “That’s fine…” He waved his hand, shutting the door with his spark. “Because I wasn’t asking.” 

“Wha—” 

Stiles surged forward and took her head in his hands, making sure to meet her eyes. _“Go to sleep.”_ He ordered, his eyes turning a bright purple. The Wraith’s wide eyes blinked a few times before she slumped in Stiles’ hold. The Spark let her slump to the floor, not even caring how she landed and he himself took a knee. He was exerting himself with these spells. The air on this plane was toxic, it ate up his spark at a faster rate and he hoped the other Wraiths didn’t feel the surge as he used his magic. 

He took a deep breath and heaved up. Rushing to the dresser, he took out the hand mirror he saw earlier—who the hell did they think he was? A princess from the middle ages? Still, it would be useful—, then he ran to the bathroom and shut the door, all the ceramic would act as an energy container of sorts. He noticed a long time ago that going magic in his bathroom kept most of the energy in there. The spell he was about to would take him out for ours but if he does it right, he won’t need to use his spark again for a long while. 

He closed the door and quickly took off his dress shirt. Standing in front of the mirror with his back to it, he held up the hand mirror to reflect the mirror reflection of his back. Taking his index finger, he pointed to a spot on his back and touched the finger to the mirror. As soon as his finger made contact with the mirror, the exact same spot on his back started burning. He hissed and removed his finger from the mirror, watching as the invisible ink of his rune tattoo shimmered purple before darkening into a visible black tattoo. 

Stiles sighed, breathing heavy, he braced himself on the bathroom counter and waited for the dizzy spell to pass. The air felt thick, he could smell his own magic in the air. The spell took effect a second later, Stiles’ entire body, electric shock sensation like thousands of tiny little insects crawling over his entire body. He fell to the floor as he lost control of his limbs while the spell did its job. It took a minute but the sensation passed and feeling returned to his body. He sighed and stood…

Looking at his own reflection, he found that he couldn’t see himself. Looking down, he saw his hands, torso, and legs. Just to be sure, he grabbed the hand mirror and peered into it. “Huh! Not bad, Stilinski, not bad at all.” He praised with a grin. He then grabbed his shirt and put it on. Turning to the mirror, he witnessed the shirt’s structure get slowly eaten up by the spell, until it too was invisible to the naked eye.

Heading out of the bathroom, he eyed the girl on his floor, wondering what he should do with her. Under the bed, or under the covers as his dummy? She did kinda have his build and nobody really measures height when a person is sleeping, it’s width that matters. Now, Stiles was usually annoyed at being a small build but lemons have been thrown, my guy… Bed it is. 

It took him a good portion of ten minutes to arrange her properly and hide her dark hair under the cover but hopefully if anyone comes knocking, they won’t dare to check under the covers. With that task done, he headed for the door. Waiting for a set of footsteps, he opened the door and walked right out after they faded.  
After walking out, he closed the door quietly, watching as the wraith that just passed turned back to look back… Right at him. 

Stiles paused. Shit… he didn’t consider if those creepy demon eyes could see through his magic… That they can see right through his runes…

**~~***~~**

**Beacon Hills Preserve**

They’d been walking for a while when Lydia finally brought it up. “Soooo… you and Isaac, huh?” 

Derek shook his head, “Don’t.” 

Lydia gaped, “What? I’m just surprised that’s all! Last I checked you were both straight and now you’re all PDA lovey-dovey.” 

“I never said I was straight and neither did Isaac.” 

“Okay, well, bi then?” 

Derek sighed, “Must humans put titled on everything?”

Lydia smirked, “They sure do, but calling me human does not an insult make, Derek, seeing as I am a Banshee.” 

The wolf smirked at her, giving her a sideways glance, “You seem proud of that now. Does that mean you’ve finally accepted what you are?”

Lydia shrugged, “Acceptance comes with an assumption that a choice is an available option. Human or Banshee… But I didn’t have a choice so, I just… dealt.” 

Derek nodded. “Can’t say I know how you feel, being a born wolf and all, I’ve never known what being expressly human was like, with the exception of humaneness as a trait. But… I suppose you’re happy and you sleep easier with Uncl—With Peter gone.” 

Lydia shoved her hands in the pockets of her coat with another shrug, “Do I absolutely despise Peter for biting me, therefore turning me into a Banshee and then using me as his personal necromancer? Yes… However,” She sighed, “Peter… He was my Alpha. Wolf or not, I was tied to him, that’s why I could bring him back and I didn’t exactly enjoy it when he died, okay? It felt… Weird.” 

Derek snorted lowly, laying a hand on Lydia’s shoulder. “The word you’re looking for, Lydia, is _sad._ ” He said, all wise like. “You were sad when Peter died.” 

The strawberry blonde shrugged off his hand with an offended look, since when was Derek so touchy feely anyway. She fixed him with an offended look, “What?! I was not sad when that psychopath die—” 

“It’s okay.” Derek soothed lowly, “I was sad too. He wasn’t my Alpha or packmate anymore but… he was still my uncle. And I may have killed him the first time but, I don’t know, after you brought him back, he was my uncle again. Annoying, wise and agitating… but he remembered what pack was. More than I did.”

Lydia stared at him. Did Derek get therapy over the years because this guy right here, being loquacious and talking about his feeling and not using his eyebrows and grunts and growls and smirks as a medium of communication, this was not the Derek she spent most of High School avoiding like the Black Death. This Derek was reformed. 

I mean, yeah, he still expressed a lot of his emotions with his eyebrows but he used a lot more of the English vocabulary today than he ever did in the three years of High School he’s known him! Granted she did avoid him, but whenever they did cross paths, he barely grunted in her direction, let alone spoke about his feelings.

Yes. Stiles and Isaac deserve medals because she was sure they had something to do with this. 

Derek paused suddenly. Pointing his nose in the air, he sniffed. Following the scent, he kept taking big whiffs like a dog and while it would be considered weird, it looked cool that a human could find things using their noses. 

“What?” Theo asked. 

Derek frowned, “I smell burnt plastic but it’s more chemical than plastic.” He smacked his lips, “Also tastes like… metallic and argh—” 

“Is that rotten egg? Argh, what the hell?” Theo held his nose after taking a strong whiff in the same direction Derek was. Being a hybrid of two animals with sensitive noses – wolf and cayote— Theo’s nose was as strong as Derek’s Alpha nose, if not a bit stronger. 

Lydia frowned, “Metal and rotten egg?” 

Derek nodded, “It’s almost faint but it’s there. The source must be small.” 

Upon hearing that, Lydia’s eyes widened, “Do you smell uhm..." She snapped her fingers in thought "Acid? Like sulphur?” 

Derek inhaled again and coughed, “Yep, that’s sulphur alright. Why?”

Lydia’s eyes lit up, “It’s a battery! Stile’s phone!” 

“Whoa, whoa! How do you know that?” Jackson asked. 

Hayden gave him a stupid look. “Come on! Even you aren’t slow enough to remember she was valedictorian! Of course she'd know what a burning battery smells like.” 

Derek shut them out and moved forward to where the scent was growing stronger. With Theo hot on his heel, they guided each other until they broke through the bushes… Derek paused… He caught nothing of Stiles’ scent. Why would he cloak it? It was making it harder to find him. 

“Here! Argh, that is _putrid!_ ” Theo gagged, staring down at the small black smoke coming from the ground. It looked like the phone was buried into the ground. Hayden and Jackson started coughing then, only hit by the strong scent as the smoke rose to their nostrils. “I though you said Stiles went missing a day ago, why is this still smoking?” Theo coughed out. It was a full day now as the sun was setting. 

Lydia, being the only one with a human nose, dug a bit on the spot and there it was. She picked up the burning remains of the phone. “Because he wanted us to find it.” She mumbled. Then she blew on it, when she did so, the smoking device stopped… well, smoking. 

“Pfft,” Jackson scoffed, “Please, everybody knows batteries burn for longer.” 

“Not for a full day, _Jackson_.” Lydia chided irritably, “It’s too small to burn that long and some parts of it are preserved still. It would have burned for longer had we not found it.” 

Hayden scrunched up her nose in confusion. Now that the phone wasn’t burning anymore, there was an underlying smell that was lingering in the air. “What’s that smell?” 

Derek finally joined them then, “That’s Stiles’ spark… or his magic, as you call it.” 

“Smells sweet and pungent around here. Like super clean, bleached hospitals and river water? A stream?” Theo asked. 

Jackson rolled his eyes, “It’s rain. Storm’s a comin’?” 

Completely ignoring her stupid ex-boyfriend—missile dodged— Lydia blinked at Derek. “Ozone? That’s what Stiles magic smells like?” 

The Alpha wolf nodded, “If he does a spell in front of you, you’ll be able to smell it too. This one is just a bit old to pick up with your human nose.” 

“Okay, cool. But why did he spell a phone?” Jackson asked “Other than having us find it, obviously!” He added quickly when met with exasperated glares. 

Lydia rolled her eyes “You haven’t noticed where… Oh, yeah. You never really did meet the wise ol’ gal, did you?” She smirked “And also, apart from me and Stiles, everybody keeps forgetting it’s exact location.”

“What?” Hayden deadpanned. 

“The Nemeton,” Derek sighed, “She’s talking about the Nemeton.” He had a feeling the damn thing was involved somehow.

Theo raised a brow, “The old, evil, magical tree stump that draws bad juju to Beacon Hills?” 

Lydia snapped her fingers and clicked her tongue in a ‘bingo!’ gesture. “Right on all counts but one… The Nemeton is not necessarily good or evil. Its purpose caters to its users’ needs, as it feeds on their energy, good or bad.”

“Sooo, what’s the connection here? Why are we talking about it?” Hayden asked. 

Derek chose to answer this time. “Stiles is the Nemeton’s new _'caretaker',_ if you will. He is the one utilizing its power for a number of things as it also feeds from his spark.” Lydia’s eyes widened… she did _not_ know that.

“Hold up! Are you telling me that Stilinski has been using this old magical tree stump thing to charge up his magic?! How is that fair? Shouldn’t it be like, forbidden to do that?” Well, pretty sure you can guess what clam spit up that gem. 

“You need to listen more attentively, _Whittemore._ At 24, I’d say selective hearing is not attractive.” Derek drawled out. “I said Stiles was _giving and taking_ from the Nemeton… Stiles isn’t _stealing_ power from it… he’s _sharing_ power _with_ it. It’s the only reason Beacon Hills has been safe and the Nemeton hasn’t killed every supernatural from here to Gotham and drawn more evil to the town.” Lydia almost made a jibe about Derek making Batman references but she decided that it wasn't the best time. 

“What does that mean exactly?” Lydia asked. What has Stiles been doing while the rest of them were too concerned with their lives? To this day, he continues to be the hero nobody ever asked for, but they didn’t know they needed all along. 

Derek met her eyes, his own piercing and cold. “Stiles shares life with the Nemeton… He and the Nemeton are one.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How'd you like it? You're probably counting the words until Peter arrives huh? XD!  
> I'm evil and i know it! *dances on tabletop*  
> Did the fluff make your stomach tingle? It's okay... you can tell me, I won't tell anybody. Swearsies realsies! ;) And how about Stiles' badass abilities? There's so much more to come!
> 
> This one wasn't that long, average size of my chapters at about 3.5k... What do you think will happen next? Well, you won't have to wait because another chapter awaits you! Hope you enjoyed this one, things are getting real good, if I do say so meself! 
> 
> As always, thanks for reading, you're awesome!  
> Love ya and TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, we focus solely on Stiles. Find out what happened after he left his assigned room slash cell and what he discovers on his adventures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing much to say for this chapter... Except a rain storm hit suddenly and we lost power and therefore reception for like two hours and this chapter should have been up three hours ago and I'm kinda pissed right now!
> 
> M'kay, Enjoy!  
> Onward!

Stiles froze, waiting for the wraith to make a move. With the sight of his spark, Stiles’ vision allowed him to see the aura’s or true forms of the wraiths. Much like when they took him, the wraith in front of him appeared to be dissipating into smoke from the torso down, with glowing green eyes. His head hidden behind a huge dark hood that seemed to be on small black flames, so while his shoulders and head looked a bit more solidified than the rest of his body, all Stiles could truly make out were the intense glowing green eyes. 

He found it weird that when he walked out of the bathroom, Marisela wasn’t in this form, she still appeared normal. But that thought was shoved to back of his mind when the wraith in front of him moved – floated – forward… towards him. Stiles took a step back, then it became a dance. For every step forward the wraith took, Stiles took a step back. They did this until Stiles passed his door and kept going in the opposite direction, still keeping his eyes on it. 

The wraith suddenly stopped at Stiles’ door, turning to it, he peered inside, his gaze landing on what Stiles knew to be his bed. The Spark held his breath and quickly pressed his back to the wall on the hallway when another wraith came up behind him, he realized when this one passed by him without a single glance that they can’t see him. Breathing out a sigh of relief, Stiles placed a hand on his heart. 

_The spell is working, we’re cool dude,_ he told his erratic organ. 

The second wraith floated to its comrade and peered inside the room. “What are you doing?” She asked, her voice coming out sharp and piercing. Again, Stiles remembers hearing their voices like that when they took him but they became normal once they all got him here. He would have to look more into that. The wraith woman closed Stiles’ room door and turned fully to face the other one. “Seriously! Do you want to get punished? Eyes off the Spark! We’re supposed to guard him, not stalk him in his sleep!” 

The other scoffed and turned to walk away, “Tch! I was hardly stalking him, I thought I heard the door close.” 

“Yes, well, he probably heard your footsteps and went to investigate. Honestly, never peer into his room again, if Sebastian catches you…” The female wraith trailed off as she followed. Stiles watched them disappear down the hall as it twisted to the right.

He stood there for a moment, contemplating which way would be out. Deciding on the opposite direction of where he was going, he turned and took off in a jog. 

**~~***~~**

A freaking labyrinth! That’s what this damn place is. Stiles could do a maze but this place… He’s seen that picture three times now. His spell won’t last long, at this rate, he won’t make it out of the castle, let alone to any location that would give him a clue as to where he was. He’s taken three different turns already and he always ends up right here. 

Alright, different tactic. Instead trying to find his own way out, he followed the three guards that passed by him, catching the middle of their conversation as they went.

“… of the Alpha pack?” Whoa… what? What about the Alpha Pack?

“Yeah, which is why Sebastian thinks he’ll be perfect. He killed his entire pack, including his Alpha. He makes the perfect candidate for the ritual.” The second one chuckled. 

Stiles followed closely behind them, mapping out the directions unconsciously while trying to figure out what they were talking about. What did the Alpha Pack have to do with the ritual? Stiles thought they only needed him, which he could deal with because then he only had himself to worry about but what if he was only part of recipe? 

“Such a shame we lost his twin, would have made things easier.” The first one commented and Stiles swore he could hear the smirk in his voice.

They took one more left turn and Stiles heard more noise coming from the right. Another wraith came from that direction, “Well, it appears our second guest is not as compliant as our first.” 

“Sort of makes you like the Spark more, doesn’t it?” The first one commented. Again, Stiles could hear the smirk in his voice and he so wanted to knock it off but the he heard it.

“Argh! You’ll regret this, you freaks!” Stiles’ eyes widened. That was Ethan’s voice. 

Separating from the trio of wraiths unnoticed, he took the right turn and followed Ethan’s angry growls. After what felt like forever, he broke through to a balcony, coming at the top of the entrance hall. Ahead of him there were several Wraiths looking down the bottom and the balcony across him also had the same scene. 

Chancing a glance down, Stiles saw what he expected, Ethan writhing and fighting against the wraiths that held him captive. But Stiles was also surprised to see Sebastian walking down the grand staircase to meet his captive at the bottom. 

“Ethan Steiner… what an honor for you to join us.” The lead wraith drawled with a smirk. 

Stiles paused; he could see Sebastian’s face. The man’s long black hair was defying gravity and he was only smoking from the waist down. His skin looked extremely pale but his eyes… his eyes were the ones that got Stiles… They were milky white. No irises, no pupils. Just plain bottomless white pits. 

If Stiles thought his green eyes were scary, these non-eyes eyes were _terrifying!_

Ethan growled and bared his teeth at Sebastian. “Where the hell am I?” 

“My domain.” Sebastian waved his hand, his wraiths released Ethan roughly, throwing him to the marbled floor. “Careful… We need him in perfect condition for what’s to come.” Ethan stood with a growl and charged at Sebastian in full speed. He went right through him but didn’t go far as Sebastian grasped the back of his neck with one hand. “All will be explained when you wake up, Ethan. But for now, I think it would be better if you calmed down.” 

Ethan groaned and slumped down to the ground, completely still. Stiles got extremely worried, what did Sebastian do to him? The Spark didn’t have time to contemplate on it as he suddenly felt the rune tattoo on his back warm up. 

“Shit…” He muttered. With one final glance at the entrance – or exit for him – doors, Stiles turned back on the path to his room. Upon his turn, he didn’t notice the white eyes that looked up and followed his retreating form. 

*~***~*

It took him twenty minutes. Twenty minutes of absolute torture and exhaustion –and also prayer to his spark to keep him hidden just a little while longer— for him to finally reach his room. And it listened, bless his spark, it listened and kept him hidden until just after he barely reached his door. He shimmered into visibility just as another guard was passing by. Jesus, they sure were diligent.

“My Lord! I implore you to stay in your chambers.” The guard said. “It isn’t safe to wander these halls; you might lose your way.” 

Been there, done that, dude… Stiles knew that voice, “Caspian.” He groaned before falling against his door. Okay, so he could only remember the guy’s name in semi-consciousness? That is sooo him. 

“My Lord!” Caspian rushed forward, catching him just before he fell to the ground. Stiles almost had the right mind to tell him not to go into his room, because he left Meripoza in his bed but his head was throbbing, his body numb, his ears rushing and his vision swimming. So, he barely felt it when Caspian lifted him off the ground and walked into his room. He did feel it though when his body met the super soft covers and the bed sank beneath his weight. 

He whined and turned on his stomach when his tattoo burned like a laser removal surgery. His shirt rose up and that’s when Caspian saw it… 

His eyes widened. “Oh, my…” The wraith breathed. 

Stiles groaned through clenched teeth, “Argh! Get out!” he glared through his pain. 

Under the covers, Marisela groaned. “Nrgh, what?” She sat up quickly, “Oh gods! I fell asleep. I’m so sorry my Lord! I… My lord? Are you alright?” She questioned, seeing Stiles’ sweaty pale form. 

Caspian rushed forward and untangled her from the covers. This is why she was told to stay out of everybody’s way. He doesn’t even know what she was doing here, she wasn’t on guard duty, she must have wondered this side and became curious… “Marisela, Lord Stiles needs to rest. Go to the kitchen and bring a glass of cold water. If anyone asks, tell them Lord Stiles requested it.” 

Marisela nodded and rushed off, still feeling disoriented but only glad to not be punished for her little adventure time. Caspian closed the door behind her and walked back over to Stiles. 

“Get away from me! I told you to leave!” A barely conscious Stiles growled through clenched teeth. 

“And I will, after I’ve ensured that you don’t die.” 

“Oh, how very _considerate_ of you.” Stiles deadpanned, “Considering you’re going to kill me anyway.” Caspian shook his head and went to lift Stiles’ shirt further up but the Spark snapped at his hands and crawled back to head of the bed, an act that had him panting, but he did have the strength to glare at the wraith, his lips pulled back in a snarl. “ _Don’t_ touch me!”

Caspian raised his hands, palms out as a peace gesture, “I only mean to help, Stiles.”

Stiles scoffed, “Right, like that’s what _every_ captor, has ever said to their captee.” 

“I am not your captor, and I will explain all, but you need to allow me to help you before Marisela returns.” 

“Okay, Castius, I’ve been called many things, but stupid is not one of them. If you think I’ll—” 

“Stiles!" Caspian snapped "I know who you are! Who you _truly_ are and as I said, I will explain, but you need to allow me to help you at this moment! You’re losing consciousness and I can’t do anything about your condition if you do…” he sighed “Please…”

Stiles bit his lip, his brows furrowing, “If you do anything dodgy, I’ll kill you myself.” 

Caspian nodded, “I don’t doubt it. Believe me.” 

He looked sincere, he really did and Stiles wanted to believe him but, how could he? Still, feeling no animosity coming from the wraith – ain’t that some shit? – he conceded. Sighing, he met the man’s dark eyes, “What do you want me to do?” his voice came out as a harsh whisper. 

Caspian sighed and lowered his hands, then he walked to the side of the bed, “Most importantly, stay conscious… Lie on your stomach.” Only hesitating for several seconds, Stiles lay on his stomach. Caspian touched the hem of his shirt, “May I?” Stiles nodded, keeping a close eye on the wraith from his periphery. After lifting  
Stiles shirt up to just below his shoulder blades, Caspian hovered his fingers over Stiles’ back, “Where is your family sigil placed?” 

Stiles groaned and clutched he pillow in a tight fist, wondering why the hell was he so weak and hurting. “Argh, my what?” 

“Your family mark? I can activate it for you.”

“Dude! What are you _talking_ about?!” The pain only made Stiles angrier. 

Caspian’s eyes widened, “Oh, you do not have one. Alright… best alternative, you’ll need a temporary grounding sigil, it should familiarize your spark with this plane. I can trace one for you, but you’ll need to use your Spark to instill it. Do you think you have enough of left for that?” 

Stiles groaned for the umpteenth time, “I don’t think so but… I’ll try… Just do it. I’ll concentrate as hard as I can.” 

“Alright… close your eyes, you need to feel it as I draw it.” Stiles nodded at the order and closed his eyes. Caspian pushed his shirt further up and lay a finger between his shoulder blades, pausing and waiting for Stiles’ go. 

A few moments later, when Caspian thought he might have been sleeping, the Wraith felt his finger warm up… Or was it Stiles’ skin getting warm? In the next moment, Stiles’ eyes snapped open, burning a bright purple. “ _Now._ ” The Spark said calmly. 

Caspian set to work drawing the sigil. A trail of purple glow followed his hot finger and he realized that it was Stiles’ spark burning the mark into his skin. Looking at his work and knowing that it’s working, Caspian concentrated on remembering the imagery of the sigil and let the Spark do the rest.

*~***~*

A few moments later the door opened, revealing a flushed looking Marisela. “I’m sorry I’m late, the cooks held me up for gossip… Oh, you look better, my Lord.” 

Stiles turned his head to the girl. With his back against the pillows, he was the perfect picture of calmness and composure. He rolled his eyes at her, “I said _my name is Stiles,_ if you won’t use it then don’t call me anything.” He didn’t understand why a woman her age could behave like a such a skittish child. 

Caspian, having been standing off to the side, in the middle of the large room, took the glass from Marisela’s hand and went to hand it over to Stiles. The Spark took it with narrowed eyes and placed it on the bedside table. Where the hell did they even get all this food? Do Wraiths really eat human food like humans do or is Stiles eating cloaked human souls spelled to look like human food? 

As if reading his mind, Caspian laughed, “It’s all very real and quite safe, my Lord, no need for skepticism.” 

He could have chewed him out for that but the Wraith did help Stiles. He doesn’t know how but it’s easier to breathe now and his spark is not feeling as heavily restricted as it was. His skin is no longer pasty and ashy, in fact, he might have a bit of a glow. He knows good and well that it could be a tactic to bring him to the other side, but Stiles wouldn’t kick a gift horse in the mouth just yet. He would slowly study its teeth first. 

“Uh-huh… sure it is. I mean, would a cannibal offering a stew to a group of lost teenagers who have just lost their friend in the woods tell them that he’s the one who killed that friend and that they are now eating said friend?” Caspian’s eyes widened in confusion. Considering his huge irises, the act was just creepy as fuck. Stiles sighed, “The answer is _no_ … No, he wouldn’t.” Did analogies exist in whatever century these guys are still living in?

Caspian merely blinked. “Right. Well, I must bid you goodnight, Lord Stiles,” They had to realize how stupid that sounded at some point right? “Marisela and I shall leave you to your devices. A cook shall deliver dinner—” 

“Bring me my breakfast tomorrow.” Stiles said suddenly. 

Instantly understanding why, Caspian nodded. With small bows, both he and Marisela left. Stiles shook his head after hearing Marisela squeal about how cute he is. Allowing his head to rest back, Stiles let his eyes close. The day’s events finally catching up to him, he felt the normal kind of exhaustion, I mean, he did do rounds in this huge freaking labyrinth castle while maintaining a an invisibility rune. What a crappy day! But at least he made progress… and he might have an ally if Caspian is legitimate… He would have to look long and hard into that. Stiles' naivete died long ago.

And to think, a week ago he was just thinking how full of laughs and family time this day would be. Instead it was filled with pain and confusion… Sucked as it may have, he hoped his family and pack would not forget its importance in his absence…

_Happy Birthday, Dad._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short one, I know. But interesting...? I hope so. Questions? Ask away but if it's spoiler related you won't be getting nothing from me! (double negatives but you know what I mean) 
> 
> Alright. As usual, many thanks for reading, appreciate you.  
> Love ya!  
> \--Nixie.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Isaac and Kira ahve a heart to heart in which he tells her exactly what happened before he and Derek left Beacon Hills. The Super Sleuths are met with a challenge and some action ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Can you believe we made it to Chapter 10 so fast? We're almost halfway through! =D I honestly didn't think I'd be so diligent with posting but, I know I'd hate waiting so why make others wait, right?
> 
> Update on the storm: The little bastard is back (excuse my freaking French) but we still have power so I'm gucci... for now. I'll keep you posted. I'll be leaving you with just one more chapter before I bid you farewell for the week. And that will be the one that follows. 
> 
> Enjoy reading!  
> Onward!

**Beacon Hills  
Stilinski Residence**

Isaac walked through the door to find Kira on the floor with the twins, they were building Lego towers. Kira stood when he entered and nodded to the kitchen. Isaac followed, once there, the first thing he noticed was the cake. It was huge. 

“Jeez, what the hell was Lydia thinking?” 

Kira laughed, “It’s _Lydia_. She goes big or goes home.” 

“Right.” Isaac sighed and sat down. “They went to trace Stiles’ scent to where he was kidnapped.” 

“I know. Lydia sent me a text.” Kira frowned at his state, “You look extremely worried.” 

“I am.” 

“They’re just going to track him, Isaac, they’ll be fine.” Kira commented as she searched the multiple kitchen drawers for candles. “It’s not like they’re out looking for the Wraiths… Erm, where do you suppose they keep the party candles?”

“Try the second drawer to the left. Back home, that’s where he used to put ‘em.” Isaac pointed her to the drawer, “And whether or not someone goes looking for trouble doesn't matter, Kira. It’s whether or not problems find them that really matters and Derek… He’s a trouble magnet. That has to be one aspect where he and Stiles are neck and neck in competition.”

Kira threw the pack of candles on the table and turned to face Isaac. “So, you guys live together in…?” 

“Bennington, Vermont. Yeah, we have sort of like a pack house. Just me, Stiles, Derek and those two munchkins.” He jabbed his thumb at the giggling twins. 

“How did _that_ happen?” Kira took a seat across him, “Last I checked, you were out of Derek’s pack and in Scott’s. When did you leave him?” 

“After you left, everything went by pretty much Beacon Hills.” Isaac chuckled, “But there was a time when everything calmed. Stiles and Lydia finished school a year early and the rest of us were left. I don’t really remember much of what happened in my senior year but I do remember the night Derek came back for me. I was really hurt and Scott was off saving Allison while the rest of the pack fought off the other witches.” 

“Wait… Witches?” Kira has never really met one, so she thought they were all myth. 

“Yeah, ooohhh, they’re nasty little bitches!” Isaac laughed, “Stiles had left like three months prior, so we didn’t really have a solid plan of attack… being that we had no plan of attack at all. Scott thought that if he went all _“I am the True Alpha”_ , they would bow down before him but it turned out, they were only there to get rid of him.” 

The Kitsune scoffed, “Bet he didn’t like _that._ ” 

“Nope, he did not… but I was the one who paid for it.” He could remember that night like it was yesterday… the night he almost died. “The first Witch threw some kind of spell in Allison’s direction after she threw some insult or five and they realized that she was an Argent… Huh! Turns out, Grandpa Argent didn’t just hunt wolves! Who’d have thunk it?” 

“Well, sure explains why Allison suddenly went bat shit crazy… It’s hereditary, apparently.” 

Isaac laughed and picked up the bag of candles, “How do you wanna put theses?” 

Kira stood and studied the cake, it had nice decor at the center. “How about we just do a boarder? That way they aren’t too many and we won’t ruin the decoration.” Receiving a nod from Isaac, they set out lacing the candles in the ice-cream cake. Low fat of course, they had to worry about the Sheriff’s health and Lydia’s weight. She may indulge in Pizza like crazy but that’s only because she limits herself with other fancies. “Then what happened?” 

“Oh, sorry!” The wolf laughed, he almost forgot he was telling a story. “Well, when the witch threw the spell, I rushed forward to push Allison out of the way and the spell caught my shoulder.” He touched his left shoulder, “Missed my heart by a few inches but my arm was almost ripped clean off.” Kira cringed hard and even let out a hiss, causing Isaac to laugh. “Anyway, I was lying there, completely paralyzed in pain and Scott… He just rushed past me and went to check on Allison, whom had fallen to the ground when I pushed her out of the way.”

Kira shook her head, “Great Alpha _he_ is.” 

“Yep!” the popped ‘p’ echoed through the kitchen. Both adults laughed when Claude and Petra started making popping sounds as well. “Anyway, so, I was lying there, thinking about how I was going to die and barely conscious enough to hear the commotion that happened when I heard Derek’s voice… He announced his presence loudly and the assault stopped. He told me he negotiated with the witches but I don’t remember, I was too out of it. I lost consciousness and the next thing I knew; I was waking up in Derek’s loft.” He smiled softly, “He apologized for being a crappy Alpha and said I didn’t have to worry about that anymore since he used his Alpha Spark to save me… Apparently, what the witches hit me with was a hex, one that only pure devotion could remove.” The witches used a spell that had declared Isaac tainted... unloved and unworthy. Of course it was meant for Allison but it still did the trick on him. The only thing that could remove their spell was finding somebody who loved him enough to give a part of themselves for him and Derek offered his Alpha nature.

Kira paused, “Wait… So, this Alpha thing… It’s a spark?” 

“Yeah. I don’t really know the dynamics but essentially what happens when a wolf kills an Alpha is that they take the spark that _makes_ them Alpha. It’s like charging up an already full tank and evolving to level two.” Isaac frowned, not sure if he makes sense. “But that means that it’s more power in one person that can be used for more than turning into a giant black furry wolf or having red eyes. Derek said it could also be used to give a wolf spark without biting a wolf and that’s what he did with me… just like he did with his sister before me.” 

“Wow,” Kira gaped, “So he’s done this twice already?” Isaac nodded. Kira frowned then, “Wait… you said that meant that he wasn’t an Alpha anymore but he is now… How?” 

Isaac smiled, “ _That_ is not my story to tell… Anyway, after I woke up, I was ready to leave because I was still mad at him, especially for leaving after I joined Scott’s pack. I felt like he didn’t care… But he did, he told me he was trying to protect me from himself to which I called bullshit but I understood. He had a temper and I wasn’t mentally stable enough to deal with those,” Having finished with the candles, Isaac sat back down, Kira joining him. 

“I left him to join Scott’s pack not because I thought Scott was a better Alpha but because he was the only Alpha at the time that I could join so I wouldn’t go Omega… I left Derek because he pushed me away and I allowed him to. He was scary and I was fragile. We’d just lost Erica and Boyd and we were both in a very dark place. Derek was broken after those two disappeared and I wanted to be strong but I couldn’t. I was just a stupid kid then.” 

Kira reached across the table to grasp his hand, “Understandably so. I know what you went through Isaac, even a grown man would have broken and with everything happening in this messed up town, you didn’t exactly have time to heal.” 

“Yeah… It’s live the very air in this town is toxic sometimes.” Isaac laughed nervously this time. “It was that night that I realized it… Derek and I talked, a lot. We shared thoughts and feelings I never thought we would have and it turned out that the only reason Derek came back to town was to get me.” He smiled, “We left that night… never came back… Until today.” Kira nodded, finally caught up. “Few months after we left we ran into Stiles… And that, is where the story that isn’t mine to tell begins.” 

“Whose then? Stiles?” 

“Precisely. Telling you anything at this point would be revealing too much about him as from that moment on, our lives were intertwined and woven together like braids. It would be hard to tell you one part without delving into the other.”

Kira sighed dramatically, “Hmmm, fine… But you left out the part when you and Derek admitted your eternal undying love for each other!” She batted her lashed and made dreamy eyes at him.

Isaac laughed and chugged a candle from the table at her head, “Stop!” 

*~***~*

Since neither of them could cook, they set out ordering a bunch of vegetarian food and greasy goodness for dinner. When the Sheriff finally got up – which was weird that he slept through all the commotion – the table was set. They made sure to have everything out and ready so he wouldn’t set foot into the kitchen and see the monster on the island. 

After dinner and at the request of the twins, the four sang John a happy birthday and indulged on small slices of birthday cake after John -the twins- blew out the candles. Kira and Isaac apologized for Derek and Lydia and told him that they would be back later. John was unhappy that the two were doing their jobs and suggested that he also get back to work but Kira and Isaac informed him that they were under strict rules from the boss lady herself to keep him away from work for the night. He complied but he wasn’t happy about it. 

Through the night, Lydia sent Kira updates. They found Stiles’ phone and the cake was meant to be shared with the Precinct. Trust Lydia to think of everything. 

It was only later at night after Isaac had just given the twins a bath – he found it weird that they stopped asking where Stiles was, but he supposed the tiring day did them in because they were barely out of the tub before they were sleeping – and put them to bed that Derek, Lydia and Jackson... Came back. 

And it wasn’t with smiles on their faces.

**~~***~~**

**The Preserve**

“What are you doing?” Hayden asked, seeing Lydia texting on her phone. “You do realize this is not a scavenger hunt, right? We have to pay attention.”

The Banshee scoffed, “No, you have to pay attention. I’m the one with the human nose and eyes here, I’m essentially useless until we find something I can see and or smell.” She smirked and looked back down at her phone, “I’m texting Kira, since we won’t be back by dinnertime, I think they should go ahead and do the dinner party.” 

“Dinner party?” asked the She-wolf, “What dinner party? And how come I was not invited?!”

“Because you’re _here._ ” Lydia locked her phone and dropped it back into the large pocket of her knee length coat jacket. “It’s the Sheriff’s birthday and it’s fine, you can come over later if you want— _No! Jackson, left turn!_ Jesus, let the one person who knows where they’re going actually _lead_ you there!” 

“Stiles’ scent is going up _there,_ moron!” The wolf growled. 

“Wait… You’re calling _me_ a moron?” Could you blame Lydia for being confused? She was the smartest one there and _he_ — with a straight face! — called ,em>her a moron. Not to mention that he is debatably the stupidest person in the present company. 

They’d been walking for about an hour and it was completely dark out now, Lydia could barely see a thing, so she had to fish up her phone and use the torch app. Jackson of course complained but he was intensely ignored… by everybody. It was when they were nearing their destination that a rustle was heard. 

“Shh!” Derek hissed, going still and stiff. His red eyes scanned the area around them and only then did Lydia notice how eerily quiet it was. Shouldn’t there be owls hooting and bats and squirrels running around? 

She stayed extremely quiet, running her torch around the area when she felt something whisper past her, she turned on her heels and caught her foot on a tree root sticking from the ground. Falling on her butt, she lost her phone when it flew a distance away when she flailed. Hayden was by her side in an instant.

“You okay?” Derek asked, inching close to them. 

Lydia wanted to answer, she truly did, but her throat was clogged in something else. She realized after a moment that… She wanted to scream. Her eyes widened as the feeling intensified. She saw the eyes before she saw their owner, “Hayden!” She yelled a second the smoke figure came flying at her. The figure went right through her but her body was listed off the ground, flying a few feet away from the group and then landing on the hard ground, wind knocked out of her.

“Lydia!” She heard their voices faintly as she struggled to gather her senses again. “Lyds, you okay?” Hayden asked, helping her stand.

The Banshee sat up with a gasp, “Wraiths!” She yelled, surprising them by jumping to her feet and running behind a tree, watching as the three wraiths appeared from the shadows slowly. Under the large moon’s light, there wasn’t much she could make out of them, besides the glowing eyes. 

Jackson growled from behind another tree, “Those are the things that took Ethan.” 

“Give us the Banshee and the rest of you are free to go.” One of the Wraiths hissed. Her voice coming out twice with a chilling echo.

“Argh, shit!” Lydia groaned. Why her? She’s never been the wanted one before, she was setting a record here! 

Derek – the only one not hidden – growled at them, his teeth elongating. His shoulder twitched back, releasing a large snap, evidence of how hard he was trying to hold back his wolf. A second later, a cayote broke through the woods to stand by him, growling at the shadow figures. 

“Stay hidden,” Jackson told Lydia before he too was out joining the party. As soon as he joined the others, the fight kicked off, not looking good at all for the wolves as they looked like they were swiping at the air. Derek growled and crouched, his bones snapping and black fur growing from his skin, his body stretched until he stood a tall and proud Alpha Wolf.

Lydia stared at them in shock, how in the hell, did none of these people realize how stupid they were? How does anybody fight with something they can’t touch?! “Okay, I have to see this.” Lydia mumbled as she spotted her phone a little ways away from the commotion. 

Circling the tree to the other side, Lydia kept on her knees, crawling through the bushes to get to her phone. She sprang from the bushes and grabbed her phone quickly. “Ah!” She screamed when her body was lifted from the ground again, this time, not dropping back down, one of the Wraiths was running off with her. She whimpered and fumbled with her phone, managing to turn on the torch again. In her squirming, the torch caught the Wraith’s eyes. It hissed and dropped her, running to the shadows instantly. 

Landing on her stomach, Lydia kept a tight grip on her phone, “Haha! Didn't like that, did ya?” She mumbled before getting up to run to the others. When she got there, she shone her torch on the wraiths, making them hiss too before they also escaped to the shadows.

“Whoa! What the hell was that?!” Hayden panted out. 

“Wraiths don’t like light, who would have thought?” Lydia commented. “They’ll be back though; I don’t think they—” She barely had time to finish that sentence before a hissing wraith came flying at her. Knocking her back again, she landed on her back, not only losing her phone again but also spraining an ankle.

She faintly saw Derek flying up into the tree above her, he hit the top of it and then gravity took charge. On his way down, he hit every single branch. A deep howl rang through the sky, followed closely by Derek’s very human painful cry as he landed on the ground. Seeing that the others were occupying the wraiths – Hayden had her phone/torch pointed in their direction –, Lydia crawled over to Derek, flinching hard when taking in his state. She was only grateful that there were no bones sticking out but she was sure that he at least had three broken ribs and there was blood coming from his head.

“Jesus… Derek, get up!” She slapped him across the face. “We need to get to Stiles’ house, _get up_!” fisting her hand, she punched him hard, but still nothing. She hissed, “Alright, sorry about this.” She poked him hard in one of the open wounds. Derek woke up with a start, eyes bright red, letting out an animalistic growl.

“Shit!” 

“Yeah, _I’ll say!_ Come on, they can’t hold those things back for long.” Lydia stood on her good leg. How the hell was she going to help Derek when she had a messed-up ankle herself. 

“Here, let me.” Theo appeared suddenly, in his human form. He slung Derek’s arm over his shoulder, with his own arm around Derek’s waist, he heaved the barely conscious wolf up, “The others will hold of the wraiths while we get a head start. Can you walk?” 

Hayden and Jackson joined them then, “Okay, they’ve retreated for—Holy crap, did he have a fight with that tree?” Hayden screeched, pointing to Derek. 

“Yeah, and the tree won.” Lydia commented lightly. “Jackson, help Theo with Derek, Hayden, I need a hand.” 

With the guys carrying Derek and Hayden helping Lydia -while the latter kept her torch pointed in the dark areas- they finally made it to edge of the treeline where Stiles’ wards are placed. Just as they crossed the wards, the Wraiths came at them full speed, but with the invisible shield wall between them, the creatures puffed into screeching clouds of smoke before reaching them. 

“Whoa… Remind me not to get on Stilinski’s bad side.” Jackson mumbled. 

They continued on until Stiles’ house came to view. “Damn, how was this so hard to find before?” Theo commented, “We could have easily found it earlier with the pack.” 

“You’re only here because you’re helping us. You won’t find it if you try to come alone.” Lydia explained. As soon as she said this a howl ripped through the sky.

“Damnit! What does he want?!” Hayden hissed. 

Theo laughed, “You seem to forget sometimes that he’s our Alpha. He probably wants to meet up for updates.” 

“Tch, well, I’m not leaving. Lydia and Derek are hurt, somebody has to stay behind to help.” Hayden frowned. 

“Okay.” Theo nodded, “Jackson, you take Derek and help them get to Stiles’ house. I’ll go ahead and update Scott.” 

“Keep to the main road and under the lights,” Lydia ordered, “Those things might still be out there.” 

With a final nod, Theo shifted Derek’s weight to Jackson, who grunted at the task but stayed silent. They walked the rest of the way in silence until they broke through the trees, crossed the road and stepped onto the luscious grass covering the front of Stiles’ house. They didn’t have to wait long before Isaac came crashing through the door, followed by Kira. 

“Derek!” Isaac cried. As if sensing his mate near, Derek’s head lifted a bit, his eyes fluttering. 

“Izzy?” he mumbled lowly, his head falling forward, face landing in the crook of Isaac’s neck. 

“We have to get him inside.” Jackson spoke up. Nodding, Isaac helped him drag Derek inside Stiles’ house, to deposit him on the large couch. 

“Lydia! What happened?” Kira asked, rushing to her friend's side.

“Oh, nothing! Just big ass shadowy wraiths out for my blood!” The Banshee laughed, dropping into an armchair. 

“You know… _Thursday_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp... that happened. I wont keep you, you'll love the next chapter... So go on ahead and read it. Sorry for mistakes, I'm sure you spotted a few.
> 
> Thanks for reading you amazing human being!  
> Love ya!  
> \--Nixie


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is strictly Derek/Isaac fluffy goodness... hmm, could actually serve as a standalone one-shot... Feelings are shared and a surprise... though predictable, I guess, ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy this calm before the storm. No really, this will be the last solely Derek and Isaac based chapter. It's not the last we see of them, but I will not be concentrating much on their relationship anymore. From the next chapter... things get super heated. Intensely so...
> 
> Again... enjoy the calm before the storm.  
> Onward.

**Beacon Hills  
Stilinski Residence**

John came down a couple of minutes after the others came back with a bleeding Derek and a limping Lydia. He provided first aid kits and set to work helping Isaac and Hayden clean Derek’s wounds while Kira dealt with Lydia’s ankle. Jackson left soon after helping them place Derek on the couch, saying something about wanting to hear what the others had on Ethan and not having his phone with him.

Isaac was quiet for a long time, eyes glazed over as he watched his mate’s face scrunched up in pain. He abused his lips; biting, licking and sucking as he worked on Derek’s wounds. His Alpha had several broken ribs, a broken ankle, shoulder popped out of its socket, fractured bone in his left arm and a large gash on his hairline and the back of his head. The one saving grace was his alpha healing, it was all healing, albeit very slowly. 

Once all his wounds were cleaned and bandaged, Isaac instinctively started drawing pain from Derek. “Jerk… You said you wouldn’t go looking for them.” He mumbled.

“We _didn’t_.” Hayden whispered, “They just _jumped_ us.” She could see the pain Isaac was in simply because Derek was in pain. She and Liam weren’t that attached. She loved him, really, she did, but looking at Isaac right at that moment and seeing how Derek reacted to him when they arrived and then remembering their separation earlier in the woods… she realized just how deep love could go, but hers and Liam’s wasn’t there. Still, she had hope that it would grow to be. 

Isaac looked up, “Where were you?” 

“I was taking them to see the Nemeton.” Lydia responded quietly, taking Stiles’ broken phone, “We found this in the preserve, not too far from the Nemeton…” She sighed, “We tried to follow Stiles’ trail but just when Jackson noticed that his scent strayed from the path, the Wraiths attacked.” 

Isaac’s eyes widened, “How many were there?”

“About three. But we lost one after Derek hit it.” Hayden answered.

“Wait, what?” Lydia asked, “How did Derek hit one? Those things were literally smoke.”

The She-wolf shrugged, “Just after you fell that last time, I picked up your phone and shone the torch at the closest one that was ready to jump me. It screeched and the next thing I knew Derek swiped his claws cross its face. It screeched louder and hightailed outta there. The other two were angry at Derek so they…” She gestured to Derek’s broken form, “They attacked him at the same time, carried him way up, that’s why he flew so high.” 

Isaac’s brows furrowed in confusion, “Flew?” 

Lydia cringed, “He uh… they threw him above one of the largest trees. That,” She nodded to Derek, “All happened when he came down. He hit every branch that could reach him on his way down, it… sounded painful.” 

“Wolves are fast and strong but,” Hayden shrugged, “We’re no cats, agility is not our forte. He could have been able to grip the trunk with his claws but… He must have hit his head first coming down.”

“Alright, the twins are still aslee—Isaac! What’s the matter with your arms?!” John cried, rushing to Isaac’s side after coming down to see the thick black veins on his arms. “Stop, don’t touch him, maybe those things poisoned him or something!” 

The girls shared a laugh while Isaac just looked taken aback by John’s reaction. The man had already ripped him from Derek’s side before he could blink. And he was still holding him back by the arms. “Uh…” 

Lydia laughed, “Nothing is wrong with Derek, Mr. S… Well, other than the obvious.” 

John blinked and looked down at Isaac’s arms, now looking good as new, “Then what—” 

“I was just taking away his pain.” The wolf in question answered, walking back over to Derek when the Alpha started mumbling, his face scrunching up in pain. Isaac placed on of his hands in Derek’s for the latter to grasp and he laid the other on Derek’s forehead. The veins came back to life after a moment, evidence of just how much pain Derek was in. “See?” 

“Oh… I didn’t know wolves could do that,” John breathed, “Wait… it ,em>is a wolf thing, right?” He looked to Lydia. If she could do the same then his whole world is a lie. 

Lydia bit her lip to stop a laugh from escaping, then she nodded. “It’s a wolf thing.”

“Right,” John turned back to Isaac, “So, why the black veins? Does it hurt?” 

Isaac shook his head, “It’s a dull throb in that I can feel how much pain he’s in but… It doesn’t really hurt for me.” He shrugged, biting his lower lip, “As for the veins, I don’t know. Stiles tried explaining it this one time but…” He trailed off when Derek groaned and turned his head to him, his bright eyes fluttering. 

“Isaac…” The Alpha whispered. 

“Hmm?” 

Derek squeezed his hand harder, “Stop. I’m fine.” He could feel the pain draining from him and being a wolf, he was no stranger to the sensation of another wolf taking his pain as opposed to painkillers or morphine. 

“Shut up,” Isaac growled, “You’re not, we can all see it. So, just behave for once and go back to sleep.” Okay, yes, he’s angry. If Derek hadn’t sent him home, maybe he wouldn’t be hurt, or Lydia at least would be able to walk without a limp. He could have lent an extra hand, instead he was sent home like a child. Isaac loves Petra and Claudius, he really does, but Derek is his mate and he feels unworthy of the title every time Derek gets hurt and he’s not there to at least attempt at stopping it.

Derek… pouted? Lydia blinked, were the painkillers getting to her? Because Derek was definitely pouting. “Don’t growl at me.” He told Isaac. 

“I’ll stop _growling at you_ when you actually start _listening_ to me for once, Derek!” Isaac… well, growled again. “I told you I should have come, but do you ever listen? No. Just like every other time before this, you go off to play hero or idiot with a death wish and I’m left to clean up the mess!” 

John made eye contact with the girls and nodded them over to the kitchen, this was obviously a conversation for two. Standing quietly, they walked – well, Lydia limped – quietly out of the room and into the kitchen. Hayden snorted quietly, “You all realize I’m a wolf, right?” 

“Exactly, you’ll make the _perfect_ walkie.” Lydia smirked, “Ow!” she rubbed the spot were Kira pinched her. “Like _you_ don’t wanna know what’s going on, Fox Girl! You have super hearing too!” 

“Yeah, but I’m great at minding my own business.” Kira deadpanned. John simply sighed, was this what it felt like for parents with multiple kids? He now considered himself lucky he only had one—Argh, who the hell was he kidding? Stiles was one kid enough for five. 

*~~***~~*

Derek sighed, “Isaac, how was I supposed to know that the wraiths would attack?”

“You knew it was a possibility.” 

“Which is why I wanted you safe here! They can enter past Stiles’ wards!” 

Isaac snatched his hand away from Derek’s and stood, pacing in front of the couch Derek was laying on. “Is that why you sent me back? None of that talk about the twins needing me?” 

“Of course, they needed you!” Derek groaned and wiggled around until he was sitting up, “Isaac, this isn’t just about me and you anymore. You’re an uncle now, I’m not your top priority, those kids are, they will always need you more than I will.” 

Isaac paused, “And what about you? Do you even need me?” 

Sigh, “That’s not what I—” 

“Derek…” Isaac turned his back to him, “Through the years, I thought this had changed but evidently not… Are you ever gonna trust me to watch your back out there?” 

“Isaac—” 

“Just be honest.” 

Derek frowned, “No.” Isaac’s whole body went rigid; his eyes wide with disbelief. I mean he asked for honesty but wow. His shoulders tensed but he refused to turn to face Derek. “Isaac, look at me.”

“Why?” 

“Izzy, _look_ at me.” 

“Just answer the question, Derek.” Isaac’s voice was just above a whisper that even Hayden didn’t hear him. Derek, seeing that he wouldn’t win sitting on the couch with Isaac all the way across the room. Wrapping his good arm around his middle, he grunted and stood. He looked up quickly when he felt Isaac’s hands on him. “Stop. If you’re gonna heal properly, you need to lay still.” Isaac said, still refusing to look up into Derek’s eyes, instead he kept his eyes on Derek’s bandage covered chest.

Ignoring him, Derek raised his hand to cup his cheek, taking in his mate’s scent as Isaac’s soft curls tickled his nose. “Are you gonna let me explain myself?” 

Isaac’s hands clenched into fists on Derek’s hips, “What’s to explain? I always knew you’d see me as that weak little kid you saved from his abusive father.” 

*~***~*

In the kitchen Hayden’s eyes widened. “Ah, shit. Okay… I think it’s time we went outside.”

Lydia gaped, “Why? What’s happening?” 

“Jesus! Since when did your nose get so big?” Kira grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out the kitchen door, followed by Hayden. John waved them off, he was sitting on one of the stools, reading his morning paper, completely minding his business and worrying about Stiles. 

*~***~*

“Wishful thinking, I suppose, thinking that you’d ever trust that I would be an asset out there. It just hurts hearing you admit it.” 

Derek brushed his thumb over Isaac’s cheek, “You’re putting words in my mouth. I said I didn’t trust you to watch my back out there, I never said you weren’t an asset, I certainly don’t see you as your old self... You’ve grown Isaac and you’ve healed.”

Isaac finally looked up; his eyes wet with emotions. Mostly anger but also confusion, “Then what do you mean, Derek? You either trust me or you don’t, which one is it?” 

“I love you.” Derek responded simply, “Loving you means I can trust you however much I wish to, but I can never trust you with your own safety, let alone mine... You’re my mate Isaac, my life. Keeping you safe is always at the forefront of my mind. I’ll take you hating me if that’s what your safety requires, and to be honest, I’ve been selfish in even having you and your love. I know the right thing to do is to set you free, that you’d be much safer without me in your life, but I’m selfish…” He brushed away Isaac’s escaped tears, “I can’t let you go, Izzy, but I will if you think you have to protect me. If you only want to fight because of me—" 

Isaac’s shook his head and tilted his chin up, closing his lips over Derek’s. A misunderstanding, a stupid miscommunication is all this was. Finally having what he’s been denying himself since he got back, Derek sank his fingers into Isaac’s hair, grabbing the curls at the back of his head and pulling him closer, with his other hand clutching Isaac’s hip. And he could feel their bond working instantly, he could instantly feel himself breathing easier. 

Pulling back, Isaac brushed his fingers across Derek’s, his eyes jumping from Derek’s lips to his eyes and then back like a game. “I don’t wanna fight _because of_ you but _for_ you.” He whispered, “The same need you have to protect me, I have to protect you, Derek. Just because you’re my Alpha doesn’t mean I have to play the role of helpless and useless mate and obediently wait for my Alpha to provide. In a normal pack, Betas protect the Alpha and I’ve allowed your overprotectiveness because I’m your mate but you have to stop putting me in a glass box.” 

Derek shook his head, “No. After I turned you… I let a lot of things go unpunished, including myself. You got hurt and I barely noticed. I’ve only just put you in this glass box, I’m not opening it yet… I almost lost you in a second that night, I won’t risk it happening again. You’re better off out of danger because when that happens, I know that no matter what powerful force I'm up against, I have a better chance of winning because then I'm fighting to _just_ stay alive… I’m fighting to come back home to _you_.” 

Isaac’s eyes widened. Wow, his heart might have just exploded then. Over the years, Derek learned to open up but his emotions were still locked away in a steel coffin, he rarely ever speaks his true feelings, but when he does… Isaac falls in love with him a little bit more. 

“Marry me.” 

Derek almost choked on his own saliva but that wouldn’t be a very dignified action from a Hale, now would it? Instead, he swallowed hard and stared wide eyed at his mate. Well, that’s the most you’ll get from him, I suppose. “W—What?” Oh, hey! We got a stutter! New high score!

Realizing what he’d just said, Isaac knew he should have felt embarrassed but he’s never felt so certain of anything in his life. He also realized how his timing absolutely sucked but… well, he could care less. So, locking Derek’s gaze with his own determined one, he reiterated: “Marry me, Derek.” 

“I—” Well, if there was anyone with the ability to render him speechless, Derek was sure it could only be Isaac. But looking into Isaac’s eyes and seeing that certainty he only saw the first time Isaac told him he loved him… he realized the seriousness behind his words. Licking his dry lips, the Alpha untangled his hand from his mate’s hair to cradle his cheek, his second hand joining its twin to lay on Isaac’s other cheek. He held his gaze for another moment, if there was any hesitation left in Isaac, he would crack then… But he didn’t. 

“You’re serious?” Okay, even he sounded vulnerable to his own ears but could you blame him? When you’re as messed up as him, would you believe that even your mate would want you for the long haul? No… no, you wouldn’t.

“As wolvesbane to the chest.” No hesitation, no pause, no uncertainty from Isaac.

And there it was folks. Feeling his chest explode with emotions, Derek ducked his head to claim his Beta’s mouth in an aggressively passionate yet gentle kiss. He poured his emotions this one act. If asked in that moment what he was trying to do, he would answer: Giving whatever is left of my heart to Isaac.

Finally, having abused Isaac’s lips, he pulled back reluctantly, only enough to speak, but close enough that their lips brushed when he spoke. “You’d be willing to deal with me for the rest of our lives?” 

Isaac laughed softly, “I’m already dealing with you, Sourwolf.” He pulled on Derek’s earlobe, causing the latter to chuckled. Isaac pulled back a little more to look into his eyes, “I love you, Derek. I’m not letting you push me away, not again. If you let go, I’ll still hold on. I will _always_ want you, whether you think you’re worth it or not.” 

His vision blurred and he knew, damnit, Derek knew he was crying. Tugging his head in the crook of Isaac’s neck, he wrapped his aching arms around his mate. Isaac has given him the best gift ever and it wasn’t even his birthday. He wants him, and not just for today or tomorrow or even next week… he wants him always. When was the last time he was ever wanted… just simply wanted and not used? He closed himself off to this person in his arms for so long and then came back late for him but he still wanted him… How could he possibly deny himself this happiness? How could he not be selfish?

“Okay…” He straightened to rest his forehead against Isaac’s, letting out a disbelieving laugh first. “Of course, I’ll marry you.” Had he not been so close, Isaac would not have heard the words as he breathed the out. Derek kissed him again, barely a brush of the lips this time, then he pulled back, cradling Isaac’s face again to look deep into his eyes, so there was no mistake as to his certainty. He offered Isaac his secret grin again, “What? No ring?” 

Isaac’s face fell as he flushed in embarrassment, “Yeah, uhm, I didn’t exactly… uhm, I—”

Derek placed a gentle finger on his lips to silence him, “Hold that thought.” He walked over to his jacket on the couch and picked it up, reaching into the breast pocket where he had been hiding the objects. Walking back over to Isaac, he offered him a grin and went down on one knee. “I’ve had these for a while and I was going to plan some romantic date or whatever and ask but… well you stole my thunder.” He laughed nervously, looking down and then back up at the blue eyes of the man who stole his heart right out from under his nose and refused to give it back… not that he would ever take it back. As long as Isaac held it, the Hale has a no takesies backsies policy. 

“I know you already asked but… Since _I’m_ the one with the rings here and since I’d been planning to do this for a while, I feel it’s only right that I ask too?” He laughed, prompting a teary-eyed laugh from Isaac too, who tried to be discreet about wiping a stray tear. Keyword: _tried._ “So, Isaac Lahey… Will you be the _biggest_ idiot on the planet and marry me?”

Isaac burst out laughing and cradled Derek’s face in his hands gently. “I _am_ the idiot that asked first, aren’t I?” Derek laughed and sprang to his feet, wrapping his arms around Isaac’s waist brief celebratory hug, before releasing him to slip the black titanium ring with a silver engraving of the Triskelion on Isaac’s left ring finger, as his mate placed an identical ring on his finger. 

They grinned at each other before Isaac tucked his head in the crook of Derek’s neck, “Thank you.” Knowing what he meant, Derek wrapped his arms around him tightly, pressing his lips to the top of Isaac’s curly haired head.

“No... thank _you_ , Isaac.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **PLEASE READ: So... I realized just now that I miscounted the chapters and you will not be getting the chapter where Peter comes in tonight. If I have some time tomorrow, I will definitely put it up (no promises, i do not bind myself) but I am exhausted right now so... I'm gonna stop here. I apologize to all my Peter lovers, I know it's killing you but be patient! I promise he'll be here soon! Pinky promise!**
> 
> Phew, well, that's all from me for now.  
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, I really like Derek/Isaac, i think they're an underrated ship, but oh well. I leave you with this because it's not a nail-biting cliffhanger and you can survive until the next time I post.
> 
> Many many many thanks for reading, I appreciate you all so much! Thank you!  
> Til the next one, love ya and TTFN.  
> \--Nixie.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles has yet another conversation with his captor that sends his nerves on edge and uses yet another one of his many abilities to go on another adventure inside the castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Yeah, I totally felt guilty for getting your hopes up like that and then not delivering so here goes! I took two hours off to put two chapters up and the next chapter will be the one you've been waiting for... for real this time. Just don't skip this one okay? Be responsible XD, it's also a very important chapter, all chapters are connected and you might miss a detail that you shouldn't have so no skipping!
> 
> **Oh! Please read here! So, I used a quote or two from _Spartacus: War of the Damned_ and _Baby Geniuses_ XD! I will mark them with an asterisk (**) because I do not want to catch any fire, bruh! M'kay, that's it!**
> 
> Haha, Enjoy!  
> Onward!

**Wraith Realm**

Stiles walked out of the bathroom to find Sebastian sitting on one of the armchairs across the room on the mini lounge area – yep, his room had a lounge area- looking all dark and mysterious in the dark corner. Stiles only knew it was him because of the glowing green eyes. The Spark’s face took on an extremely bored expression as he towels his hair dry.

“I know I’m your prisoner but ever heard of knocking? I could have been naked.”

Sebastian’s chuckled darkly, his eyes raking Stiles’ body. “I’d hardly call you a prisoner. You have everything needed for comfort.” 

Stiles threw the towel on the bed and turned to glare at the Wraith, “Yeah, except _freedom._ ” 

“Freedom is a luxury… One you have not earned yet.” 

Stiles raised a brow, “Yet?” 

Sebastian stood and walked over to him, his fingers brushing away Stiles’ damp hair from his eyes. Stiles simply glared up at him. “Very soon you will _want_ to be here of your own will, without any persuasion on my part.” 

“Aww, that makes me _so_ sad,” Stiles drawled sarcastically, “Here I thought you would forever try to woo me.”

Sebastian’s smirked, “Never fear…” He pulled away and headed for the door. “When the time comes, you will be worshiped by many,” He looked over his shoulder, “Myself being the first.” 

With that he walked out. Stiles stood there wondering how soon was very soon. He couldn’t wait until morning, he had to talk to Caspian and most importantly… He had to know where they were keeping Ethan. But how does he get out again without being noticed? He can’t risk doing another invisibility spell, not when he was so close to being caught last time. If only there was a way to… his eyes widened. 

Of course!

Stiles was so glad he met that witch that one time. Okay, sure, he hated her at the time but if it weren’t for her, Stiles wouldn’t be able to do this particular spell. “Okay, Stilinski, don’t mess this up.” He muttered. “Now if only I can remember where I put…” He concentrated until he felt the tell-tale sting of a lighting rune just at the base of his skull, “Shit! _That’s_ where she put it?!” He yelled in frustration.

A knock sounded at the door, “My Lord? Are you alright in there?”

Stiles rolled his eyes. Why the hell did they even bother sounding concerned?... A grin spread across his face, _On the other hand, Papa needs a puppet._ He rushed to the door, opened it and yanked the young wraith inside. Closing the door, Stiles pushed him against it. 

_“Look into my eyes.”_ The teen’s dark eyes met his, Stile’s eyes turned purple, his mark burning as it was activated. He slid his hand to the side of the wraith’s neck, his long slender fingers digging the area where the base of his skull lay — the same area on his own mark was burning.

“You are in my power; you will obey my command.”** The wraith nodded robotically, “Become my eyes and ears outside these walls.” Stiles finished. Hypnosis —as something even human being can do if they applied 25% of their brain capacity— is absolutely nothing to a Spark, as they use more than 100% of their brain. This was the safest spell he can do, one that will not be detected and will not take a lot from him, especially since Caspian helped him earlier, he felt lighter. Why didn’t he think of using this particular rune before you ask? He’s Stiles… Nuf said.

The result was almost instant. Both gasped as the spell took effect. Stiles stumbled and as his vision went blank and the… he was looking back at himself. “Whoa, trippy.” He muttered, “Okay, help me to the bed.” The Wraith nodded and helped him stand. Picking him up effortlessly, he placed Stiles on his bed. Lying back against his pillow, Stiles closed his eyes. “Alright, go…” 

*~***~*

It took him a while to come across anyone resembling a guard that could give him information on where Ethan is being kept. Surprisingly, the castle was filled with random _commoners_ -he knew that's exactly what they called them- and Stiles wondered if they truly knew what was going on here, if they were here willingly or just brainwashed. They looked happy enough though. 

Finally, he broke through the many halls and corridors to enter into the main hall… place was busier than he expected but not excessively packed. They were all dressed fancy too… what the hell? Stiles wondered what it was that he wasn’t required to attend. Upon closer inspection, he saw that only a select few ladies were fancy but most of the men were rather simple and they were very busy decorating and arranging stuff...

“Remi!” 

Okay, so, it was now obvious that these were the workers and guards… the ladies just happened to be… well _Ladies,_ ladies. These Wraiths were evidently still very much living in the middle ages. Where princes, princesses, lords and ladies were still a thing and they still dressed in dress codes that Stiles only now recognized as “costumes”. You know, fancy dresses and frilly collars—

“Remi!” 

Corsets and sparkly jewellery and—

“Remington!” Stiles absolutely felt the hand grab the back of… uhm, Remington’s neck? “Remi! Did you _not_ hear me calling you?!” The hand yanked harder, so hard that he (they) stumbled back.

“Ow, ow, ow! Hey, hey! _Easy!_ ” Remi shrieked, to Stiles’ surprise because that was exactly what he would have said. Maybe he didn’t choose a host so different from him after all. This would be easier than he thought. Alright, time to let Remi have some of his senses back.

Stiles pulled back his vocals and only kept control over Remi’s eyes and ears. He would see and hear what he sees, but Remi will have control over his words… As long as he doesn’t out Stiles. Of course, the Spark would know as he can hear Remi’s thoughts. 

“Where in several Hells have you been?! You were supposed to be with the dressmaker an hour ago and I hear you’ve escaped?!” The golden-haired woman yelled.

“Adrastea!” Remi yelled, “Don’t make me go back there! He’s crazy!” 

“Crazy or not, the ceremony is tomorrow and I’ll be damned if I let you attend in these rags. You are royalty and you are long past finding a suitable Lady to court.” Adrastea grabbed Remi’s chin and turned his head to the group of ladies in the corner, swooning over the working men, guards and lords in the large hall. “There isn’t a shortage!”

Remi growled, “Not interested.” 

“Reming—” 

Remi wretched himself from the woman’s grasp. “For pity’s sake, Adrastea! You are my _caretaker,_ not my _mother_ and I’m hardly a child! Stop treating me as such!” With that, he walked off. Leaving a seething she-wraith and many disappointed ladies. 

Stiles was surprised that he hardly had to control Remi to get what he wanted as the teen wraith went off of his own volition and went down to the entrance hall where most of the guards and castle servants were gathered. He easily blended in, either because he was a regular sight or because they were too busy to notice him. Nonetheless, it served to Stiles’ advantage because as he walked in, Stiles heard something about werewolf, so he took back control. 

_Casually integrate into that group of guards and act natural._ Stiles ordered. Shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants, Remi walked over to the group, a scowl on his face. 

“Well, if it isn’t his Highness himself… We were wondering when you’d escape royal duties today.” One of the guards commented. Okay even Stiles had to admit that his dark skin and perfect white teeth made him look like a Michael B. Jordan – muscles and all— and that was really hot. Plus, he talks like Idris Elba… mmm. The guard moved to Remi’s side and threw an arm over his shoulders, “Where’s your Lady Guard?” 

Remi sniffed and casually leaned against the muscled Wraith, “Enough about her. What were we talking about?” 

“Your cousin. And his delightful plan to gain us access to the human realm again.” Another guard responded with a smirk. 

Stiles wondered whom they were talking about but Remi’s mind provided a flash of Sebastian’s face at the word “cousin”. Ah, so that’s how Remington fits in this whole royalty biz. Stiles can’t even be mad at his name because he actually likes. Reminds him of Gambit… you know, Remy LeBeau, super underrated badass character in Stiles’ opinion. And that he was played by Taylor Kitsch in X-Men Origins makes him that much cooler. What? Stiles is a hardcore fan. 

“So, has he given you lot any tasks for tomorrow?” Remi asked casually. From the corner of his eye, Stiles noticed the bulky wraith play with a strand of Remi’s auburn brown hair. Unlike Sebastian’s extremely long hair and pin straight black hair, his was curly and shoulder length.

“There’s a lot to do but we have the others out gathering the final… ingredients.” 

Stiles felt irritation that wasn’t his own. Before he could stop him, Remi spoke, “Is that what we’re calling them? Ingredients to _what_?” 

The arm around his shoulder tightened, “They are a means to an end, Remi.”

Remi opened his mouth to throw another retort but Stiles took over quickly, he chuckled, the sound foreign as it wasn’t in his tone. Remi’s voice was a bit deeper than Stiles’ and it threw the Spark off to use it. “Of course, they are. I’m merely curious. Sebastian hardly tells me anything.”

“Why not ask your brother?” Mr Dark and Handsome asked.

A picture of Caspian’s face echoed though Stiles’ mind. Holy crap! Things just got a whole lot more interesting. “Where is Caspian? I wish to speak to him.” Stiles/Remi asked. 

One of the guards shrugged, “Last I saw him, he was with his Majesty.”

“Sebastian?” 

“Who else?” 

Damn it. Stiles couldn’t very well barge in and drag Caspian away from Sebastian, he had to think carefully. He could obviously walk around and look around for any signs of Ethan but Remi doesn’t know, which means he’s not allowed wherever Ethan is being kept. He’d have to dig the old-fashioned way. Now, if only he can get the big guy’s name… 

_Put the big one aside. Separate him from the others,_ Stiles ordered. If his observation was right, Remi and the one with his arm around him are close, why else would they be casually touching like that?

“Nikolai… Might I borrow you for a moment?” Remi asked softly... almost sweetly, Stiles noticed.

“Nikolai” Moved his arm from Remi’s shoulders to place a hand on his lower back, “Of course, your Highness.” He led him away from the group, walking to the dark corridors until they were in a dark corner and Stiles almost yelped when Remi was pressed against one of the pillars but Remi did not seem surprised, in fact he was extremely excited if the beating of his heart and the way he bit his lip seductively was anything to go by.

“I told you not to call me that.” Remi whispered a hair's distance from Nikolai’s lips, his eyes glazed over as he stared at the man’s lips. 

Nikolai slipped his hands under the hem of Remi’s shirt, his hands coming into contact with his skin. “My apologies, my Prince.” 

Remi chuckled and slunk his arms around Nikolai’s shoulders, nuzzling their noses together. “I’ve missed you. You were supposed to come and see me.” Stiles just felt incredibly uncomfortable being a part of this. He felt like he was intruding but he couldn't allow himself to take control and pull Remington away or the Wraith he was wrapped up in would notice something amiss. 

Nikolai sighed, “We only just got back. Also, I tried, but… Adrastea.” 

This time it was Remi’s turn to sigh. Really, he knows Adrastea means well as his personal guard and caretaker but her meddling was infuriatingly suffocating. He appreciates her, really, he does, but her overbearing attitude was not what he wanted. 

_Focus. Find out where they have Ethan._ Stile’s voice echoed into Remi’s consciousness. 

Remi cast his eyes down, “How many more did Sebastian send you to retrieve?” 

Nikolai sighed in exasperation, “Remi…” He tried pulling back but Remi grabbed his arms to keep him in place. 

“Niko… I just want to know how many more casualties will benefit my cousin’s quest for power.” The words were bit out in a way that made Stiles absolutely certain that Remi did not want to join the family kidnapping biz. 

“Remi, I know you don’t approve of his methods, but he’s looking for a way to free us from this prison world.” 

Remi was the one who pulled back this time, “Do you honestly believe that?” 

Nikolai frowned, “What else is there to believe? He’s looking for a way to return our world back to its former glory. Or give us a new world. What’s so wrong with that?” 

“People are _dying,_ Niko,” If Remi was acting, Stiles was sold. “And I want to believe that what Sebastian is doing is for the good of our people but… I’m not that person. You know I’m not.” 

Nikolai took his face his hands, “That’s why I’m doing this… So, you don’t have to.” 

Remi/Stiles eyes widened in betrayed shock, “Are you saying you’re doing all of this because of _me?_ ”

The other Wraith shook his head, “I’m doing this _for_ you.” He said. So softly, the words touched even Stiles. “I want you to see the human realm. I want you to see the sun, the beaches… You deserve that world as much as the rest of them, even more than they do.” He brushed his thumb across Remi’s pulse, taking joy in the hitch of breath he felt. “You are the most deserving of all of us, Remington.” 

Remi stared at him for a moment in disbelief, “But killing innocents…”

“Not all of them are innocent. The _werewolf_ is _far_ from it.” 

“But Stiles _is_!” Remi’s outburst too even Stiles by surprise. He had expected to fight with Remington for control but it seemed that since they shared the same sentiments, Stiles barely had to exercise control over him, having being caught by surprise at the outburst, himself. “He has a family, loved ones! What if they had taken _me _?”__

__“None would dare!” Nikolai growled, tightening his grip on Remi. Not to a point where it hurt but enough to display possessiveness. “I would lay rest to all those who would dare wrest you from my arms.”**_ _

__Remi removed Nikolai’s hands from his face to hold them in his own, locking his gaze with determination. “Then you would lay self to rest, Nikolai… Continue on this path and a medium will not be necessary to separate us.”_ _

__Nikolai’s flinched back in shock, “You would abandon _us_ for… strangers?” He gasped, “ _Why?_ ” _ _

__Stiles wondered the same. If Remington was stuck on this plane as much as the rest of them, a prisoner in this realm, why would he have such compassion for the lives of those who could free him of this prison? He felt no resistance entering the Wraith's mind and he wondered what made him so different? Why when everybody else was out for vengeance and freedom from the Wraith Realm were Remington and Caspian against the almost necessary violence required to achieve it._ _

__He found his answer when Remington sighed and revealed in an almost missed whisper..._ _

__“Because Lord Stiles is no a stranger to me…”_ _

__Okay…_ _

__Wait… what?!_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was it confusing at any point? I hope not! And just to see if you read this one...  
>  **QUIZ: What is the name of Remington's caretaker and that of his beau?**  
>  Haha! I'm dictating your reading now, that's right, I'm in charge. :P
> 
> Alright, I won't keep you. On to the next one.  
> Love ya!  
> \--Nixie.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **DUN DUN DUUUUN! Drum roll, trumpets and all that. The moment has arrived. Enter Peter Hale. **Also Stiles travels to his past to find out how the Wraith Realm and how his own life began, and where his Spark comes from. He finds out a lot... A LOT!****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The moment so many of you have been waiting for and deliver I did... now my conscience is clear. Kikiki! This is thee longest chapter I have ever posted! Argh, there was a glitch when I was editing the post and it made all the sentences bold and it wouldn't italicize everything so i had to do every sentence manually... *sigh* Been sitting here for hours fixing it, so tired! ToT... Y'all better like this chapter, I swear, I'm throwing some hands if you don't! M'kay, I'm done crying!
> 
> Enjoy, you Peter loving maniacs!  
> Onwaaaaaaaaard!

**Beacon Hills**

It was late at night when Peter and his pack finally made it to Beacon Hills and they were not happy to be back at all. And while Peter kept reminding them over and over again that they had no business being there, he was met with growls and scowls and talks of getting his business done so they could leave the hell hole and never return again. 

Accessing his apartment again was no issue, seeing that it was paid in full and was now permanently his property. Having planned to live with his new pack there—back when he had planned to create a pack in Beacon Hills—, he had purchased two floors in the building, and he now owns enough space for at least eight people. But since they were only four now, Peter saw no problems in sharing his large space with his pack. He could have easily gone to his penthouse apartment at his own hotel but… he didn’t want to set foot in there. Not now...possibly not ever.

Cora threw her bag on the couch and then followed it, “Argh! Beacon Hills… Even the _air_ in this place feels bad.” 

“Yep… Home sweet _freaking_ home.” The blonde grumbled. The memories hitting her hard. She then sighed, “On the upside… I didn’t notice how much I kinda missed it until we got here.” 

Peter turned to her with a raised brow, “You miss this place?” 

“I _did_ grow up here.”

The Alpha smirked and looked out the large window. From there he could see the house that held the beacon that was calling to him, “As did I, if you would remember.” But he would never miss this place. He lived two lifetimes and died twice... not to mention the six years he spent in absolute agony in that hospital. 

“Yeah, but a lot of shit happened to you guys. Not wanting to be back here is understandable.” Erica understood... a lot of bad happened to her too, but she had it easier compared to Peter. For her, the good outweighed the bad. 

Cora shrugged, “Honestly, Uncle Peter took it harder than I ever did. I don’t even remember my life when I lived here. Peter… how many times did you die here?” 

Peter stifled a chuckle, “Irrelevant… Never fear, children, we’ll be out of here as soon as I resolve what I came here for.”

“Which is what, Peter?” The big, quiet, man asked.

“It’s Batman, isn’t it?” Peter turned to face Erica. The blonde had her eyes narrowed at him, “Of all the people to make you come back here, Peter, he’s the only one.” 

The Alpha turned back to the window, his sight zeroing in on the house again. The tug pulling harder at his chest. He didn’t know how to explain it, but what he felt in that house… He knows his little Spark. He knows Stiles’ presence and call like he knows his own wolf. He knew Stiles’ call and what he felt at that moment, what called him to this town… it that was definitely _not_ Stiles.

**~~***~~**

**The Hills Apartments**

The pack was finally asleep. Having burned out their energy from the long flight, they would hopefully be out for a few more hours. But Peter couldn’t sleep. His skin was itching, his ears ringing and his wolf restless… The pull was growing stronger… closer even. It had woken him up from his slumber, beckoning, shouting at him to come… come find it.

Throwing his covers off of him, he walked over to the window, staring up at the moon. Not even a full moon, but Peter knew his uneasiness was due to the upcoming eclipse. A small growl rumbled in his chest as he stared up at the white eye. “Damnit… _Calm down._ ” He muttered. As if in retaliation, his eyes flashed red. Peter growled at his reflection, “Fine! Let’s go for a run.”

Forgoing his jacket, he put on his runners and went out. As soon as he exited the building, he broke off into a sprint, maneuvering through the trees with ease. He was running blindly now, his vision red and surroundings blurring, he let his wolf lead him. 

Faster and faster he ran, by the time he broke through the trees, he was all teeth, red glowing eyes and growls but what he saw standing before him made him pause… It was Stiles’ house. His wolf had led him to Stiles house, but that was not the shocking part… No. 

The shocker was the two individuals standing there, staring at him. No fear, no shock on their faces, merely excitement. It was as if they knew he was coming. His senses buzzed in their presence and that's when he realized that it was _them_... _They_ called him here.

**~~***~~**

**Stilinski Household  
_*A few minutes earlier*_**

The house had been quiet for a while. With Lydia and Kira having gone back to the Martin Residence so Derek and Isaac can have Stiles’ room, the only occupants in the house were the two wolves, the twins and the Sheriff. Since Derek was hurt, he went to bed early, after he and Isaac wished John a happy birthday, they disappeared up to Stiles’ room. 

For his part, John was back at the office. He had only taken a few days off and with the new cases of people claiming they see moving shadows, he decided to go in for the night and do damage control. He was only going in for a few hours, then he’d be back home to take care of his grandchildren and to continue the search for his son.

So, that left Derek and Isaac with the twins for a few hours. Once Derek was resting in bed again, Isaac checked on the twins to find them still fast asleep. Checking that all the doors and windows were locked, Isaac decided to get some shut-eye himself.

It was just before midnight when they woke up. Both springing into sitting positions before they turned to each other with wide eyes and bright smiles.

“He’s coming.” They whispered and giggled secretively.

Slowly crawling out of bed, they walked over to the window, surveying the dark trees. Their eyes moved at a rapid speed to locate the moving figure… it took a few moments, but then they spotted him. His movements precise and fast as he moved through the shadows. Turning to each other again, they giggled and headed for the door.

*~***~*

Sneaking out of their room quietly was no hassle, it was the getting out of the house part that would be difficult. They tried to be very quiet when going downstairs but the stairs wouldn’t stop creaking so they took longer getting down than they would have likes, especially while still holding hands.

When they got to the front door, it wasn’t really hard to unlock it. Normally they wouldn’t go out at night, they doubted their father and uncles knew that they could unlock the doors but they could. And this was the one time it was useful. All they needed was a mount and as luck would have it, there was a table close to the door. Pushing it over to the door quietly, Claude held it steady as Petra worked on the lock. Unlocking it quickly, they moved the table back to position and then headed outside…

Knowing they didn’t need to go far, that he was coming to them, they merely stood in the middle of the yard and waited… They didn’t have to wait long, as in the next moment, he broke through the trees.

*~***~*

Peter stood there, staring at them… They looked oh so familiar. Stiles… they look very much like his Spark. The tug in Peter’s chest pulled him forward, his wolf whining in what seemed like… longing? Before he could stop himself, he was moving closer to the two children. He stopped only when his feet touched the Stilinski yard, he stood a few feet away from them.

He stared at them, as they stared back, for a long while, none of them saying anything. Peter studied their small forms, they looked very small, very young, three, maybe four years old… When did stiles have children? There was no mistaking it, these kids looked too much like Stiles to be anything but his own...

Peter’s blue eyes moved up to meet their eyes and that’s when he knew… As soon as their eyes met, his own turned red involuntarily, the twins instantly responded, their eyes flashing a pale blue, they giggled and swung their arms happily. Peter’s breath left him…

“No…” He whispered painfully, “What… How…” the words eluded him but he knew. Heavens help him, he knew, he could feel the bond he shared with them. There was no mistaking it.

“Petra! Claudie!” Isaac came rushing out the front door, Derek following close behind, fangs and claws out. He didn’t bother looking second before jumping on Peter, sending them both to the ground. Isaac picked the kids up and ran to the house, completely ignoring their protests.

Peter easily threw Derek off and sprang to his feet, crouching low and readying for an attack. He growled lowly, going on the instant offence at his attacker. Derek also crouched, baring his teeth at his uncle, then they both paused, their eyes going wide... 

“ _Uncle Peter?_ ” Derek asked in a small, vulnerable and trembling voice.

“Derek.” Peter’s voice was just as small. He barely had time to get another word out before his arms were full of his nephew.

“Oh my god, how are you—” Derek pulled back to look at his uncle’s face. He couldn’t believe it was truly him. “You’re _alive._ ”

Peter was still stunned. Since when was Derek so happy to see him? Normally he would be met with a scowl, a glare, a growl but a hug… What the hell was happening? He stared wide eyed at Derek for a long while before reality came back to him. “Uh… yes. I’m alive.” He was confused as to why Derek thought he was dead.

“I…” Derek’s scowl finally made an appearance. He punched Peter in the face, but the other Alpha dodged and took a couple of steps back. Derek winced, his adrenaline drained and his pain coming back to him. “Ah,” He grunted softly “Where the hell were you?! For five years we thought you were dead, Peter! For five years!”

“Whoa, big guy… I know, just let me—”

“Daddy!” Both Alphas turned to the source to find Isaac in a crouch, holding back the twins as they squirmed in his hold, arms reaching out towards Derek and Peter. Their happy expressions replaced with displeasure, tears shining in their eyes.

Isaac’s wide eyes met Peter’s but he didn’t say anything to him, instead he called to the person he hoped held an explanation, “Derek?”

Peter turned to Derek; shock written all over his face… Those kids couldn’t possibly mean…

“Isaac get them back inside.” Derek ordered, his glare still on Peter, even as he clutched his side in pain. Isaac tried picking the kids up, but they struggled harder, at this point the only thing he could do was to hold them back.

Peter’s chest tightened at the sight of the twins crying. “Derek… who are they?” His nephew hesitated, his eyes shifting between Peter and the twins. The more the twins cried and reached out, the more Peter felt his heart break.

Derek rushed past Peter to the trio on the porch. As soon as he reached them, he crouched down to the kids’ eye level, laying a hand on each of their heads. “Rocky, Claudie, I need you to go inside with Uncle Izzy, okay?”

“Nooo!” They shook their heads, tears finally sliding down their chubby cheeks.

Derek and Isaac shared a look before Derek nodded. The truth is, neither of them have ever seen the kids react like that. Petra and Claude weren’t criers, they asked for what they wanted and here they were, crying… for Peter. Derek looked over his shoulder at Peter, who seemed a second away from sprinting forward. This should really be Stiles’ job and decision but it couldn’t be helped.

Derek knows the pull a pup feels towards their parents… he had that same bond with his mother and father. He also knew that Peter felt the same, just as his mother had explained. It’s undeniable, that’s how wolves always know when a child is not theirs. There is an instant bond between a pup and their parents. If they didn’t do things right, Peter would go on the offence for his pups.

“Derek,” Isaac called, “He could be dangerous.”

Derek didn’t believe he was. Peter had a chance to attack him but he didn’t. He’s still restraining even though Derek knows he wants nothing more than to rush over to them. “I don’t think he’s mad again… he didn’t attach me when I jumped him.”

Isaac looked over to Peter. The man was looking at them with desperation and confusion written all over his face. He had to admit the crazy look was not in his eyes but does crazy have a look? He didn’t know. Still, if there’s anyone that knew Peter, it was Derek. So, if Derek trusts him and considering the other, most important factor… Stiles… Isaac couldn’t argue, “Alright… If he means no harm then… maybe it’s he should know. Stiles would have wanted him to.”

Derek nodded. It’s true, Stiles would have wanted Peter to know. After all, he did share memories of Peter with the twins. “Okay.” He looked down at the wide-eyed kids, he picked Claudie up, while Isaac picked up Petra. He turned to Peter and nodded him to approach, then he and Isaac walked over to meet him halfway. 

As soon as they were at arm’s length, Derek paused, looking back and forth between the kids, Isaac and Peter. For his part, Peter kept looking back and forth between the twins much as they were looking at him, his fingers twitched. The twins each reached out a hand to him and he couldn’t help but to oblige them, offering them each a hand. He had no time to see the scowls on Derek and Isaac’s faces, his heart completely filled with warmth at the smiles he got from the kids as their small hands wrapped around his fingers.

His attention was called to Derek when his nephew spoke. “Peter… This is Claudius and,” He turned to Isaac and “Petra…” He turned back to Peter, meeting his confused gaze with seriousness so he would see that this was not a joke.

“Your son and daughter.”

**~~***~~**

**Wraith Realm**

Nikolai blinked in confusion. Yes, he knew that the relationship between his beau and his cousin – aka their king – was not the best, but for Remington to claim familiarity with a human Spark was a little too extreme. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder if it wasn’t all just a ruse, Remi has never lied to him… never.

“The Spark is no stranger to you?” Remi shook his head. Nikolai frowned, “Okay… If not a random Spark then… what more is there?”

Remi bit his lip in doubt. Stiles was very quiet in his head, also curious as to what the Wraith was talking about. Remi breathed out, “He—” He went quiet suddenly, his gaze going past Nikolai’s shoulder. “Brother…” He whispered, seeing Caspian enter the entrance hall. He looked defeated and frustrated and Remi knew why. He moved to go past Nikolai but the bigger Wraith grabbed his arm just as he got past him.

“Where are you going?” Nikolai asked.

Remi looked back at him with wide eyes, then back at Caspian, then back at Nikolai, “I must have words with my brother… I’ll come find you after.”

Nikolai’s eyes took him in with shock, “Remi, what is it you’re hiding?”

“I can’t say… not now.”

“What?! You were just about to—”

“And that was wrong of me!” Remi surged forward, sinking his fingers into Nikolai’s light brown soft big curly afro and closing the distance between their lips. Nikolai sighed into the kiss, knowing that he’d lost the fight, instead he settled for pulling Remi closer, only realizing then how much he missed him. Remi pulled away after a moment – much to Nikolai’s dismay – “All will be explained soon, just… Have faith in me?”

“Always.” Nikolai gave back without hesitation.

Remi smiled and looked back to see Caspian held in conversation by a few guards, he then turned to Nikolai again and gave him a peck on the lips, “Say nothing to no one. Spies are as plentiful as friends.”

With that said, Remi rushed off to Caspian.

*~***~*

It wasn’t until they got to his room that Caspian addressed his brother, after having dragged him by the arm to his quarters. “Remington,” Caspian sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, “Adrastea has been talking my ear off about your disobedience, would it harm you to listen to her for one day?”

Stiles, having decided that enough time was wasted, took over, “Caspian… It’s Stiles.”

The elder Wraith rushed to his door to ensure that it was indeed closed, then he turned to his brother with a glare. “I told you never to discuss unless absolutely—”

“Yo! Casper! It’s _me! Stiles_!” For extra measure, Stiles allowed his spark to pool in Remi’s eyes, turning them a shade of bright purple for a moment, before they turned black again. 

Caspian’s eyes widened as he stared at his brother, slash Stiles, “Stiles? How are you…” He blinked, “You’ve utilized the Puppeteering Rune. But, why Remington?” 

Stiles (Remi) blinked, “Uh, the what now?”

Caspian grabbed his (their) shoulders, “Where are you? Your body?”

“Uhm, in my room? Where else would I be?” Stiles snapped before shrugging Caspian off, “Look, I’m sorry I had to take your brother, didn’t know it was him before… You know,” He tapped his temple, “But this is important, I have to find out where Ethan is.”

Caspian frowned, “Ethan?... The Werewolf?” Stiles (Remi) nodded. Caspian shook his head, “Why?”

“Well, I can’t very well leave him so your _cousin_ — which by the way, what the shit? Thanks for the heads-up— can dissect him or whatever it is he wants to do.” Caspian was thrown off by seeing his brother flailed his arms like that, but he had to remember that it wasn’t his brother in control at that moment. 

“Why? He isn’t one of your own. He is not your responsibility…” Exercise in futility really but Caspian had to try and convince Stiles to forget his quest to rescue Ethan… the wolf was too heavily guarded.

“I thought you people were stalking me for years… I can’t leave Ethan behind. Pack or not, I won’t leave him to die if I’m busting outta this joint.”

Caspian stared at him for a long while before sighing. Stiles was right, they had been studying him for a long time before they took him, which was how the Wraith knew there was nothing he could say to talk Stiles out of this. “The wolf is being kept in the dungeons. He and the other prisoners are guarded by Hellhounds—”

Remi/Stiles’ eyes widened, “ _Hellhounds_? In… what form, exactly?”

“Their original. Vicious little beasts they are, especially being Purebloods.” Caspian sighed again, taking a seat on the edge of his bed. “And _no_ … you will _not_ be going down there, I will not allow it.”

Stiles blinked in disbelief, “Uh, question, buddy… whatever made you think I needed your permission?” Then he paused, “Wait… why are you—”

“As I said… I know you, My Lord… The real you.”

“The real me is a Spark held captive by an egotistical Wraith King in some freaky Wraith Realm constant land of night, and having his cousin slash _General,_ or whatever the hell you are, being a cryptic asshole!”

Caspian raised a brow, “You know, it is rather weird seeing my brother behaving like a human… a rather frustrated one at that.”

Stiles growled and took a menacing step towards Caspian, “You promised me answers.”

The Wraith nodded… “I did.” He paused, staring at Remi. “Remington, can you hear me?” Remi nodded, receiving a nod from Caspian, “Show him.”

Remington nodded with a smile. Stiles frowned, “What the hell are you talking abou—” He gasped and dropped to the ground as his consciousness was suddenly sucked in… Caspian stood to pick up his brother. Walking out of his quarters, he crossed the hall to the room across his own. Having his brother close gave him brought him comfort. The closer Remi was, the better he could keep an eye on him.

Placing Remi in his own bed, Caspian headed out, closing the door behind him. Stiles would be waking up any moment now, he had to be there when he did. 

*~~~~~~*

_There was fire and darkness everywhere. Screams, cries for help, war cries and terror filled the skies. The first image Stiles saw was the woman with thick brown hair… She looked very much like his mother._

_“My Lady! We must hurry! They’re almost here!”_

_“No! Alina, I cannot leave you here! Where… Where are the children?”_

_Alina? That was his several greats grandmother’s name. Looked like her too. Stiles has only seen pictures of her but he could never forget that face._

_Alina sobbed, clutching the little bundle in her arms tighter, “We were separated. I can only hope their father found them.”_

_The woman with a crown on her head grasped Alina’s shoulders. “All is not lost… Gwendolyn seeks not to kill them; he will take joy in seeing them serve him but…” She touched the bundle wrapped in blankets in Alina’s arms, “She will most definitely end her.” She looked up, meeting Alina’s gaze with intensity, “We must not let that happen. She has a destiny to fulfill.”_

_Alina nodded, “Of course, Queen Aurelia.”_

_Aurelia cupped her cheeks and kissed her forehead, “You have the protection of Luna. Raise her as your own and protect her for as long as you can.” She took of her white stone pendant, “This will guide you. You must escape to the Human Realm; they will never find you there… I will close passage as soon as you pass.”_

_Alina’s eyes widened, “But, Aurelia!” She paused to let out a yelp as the ground below them shook. Aurelia paused at large tree, with a large opening on its bark. She then grabbed Alina and pushed her in._

_“No time to waste, Alina!” She paused, taking her in, “May the Spark be with you, sister… ‘Til we meet again… I love you, all of you.” She touched the bark and watched the opening close. The last thing Alina saw were the dark figures that sprang from the shadows._

_“Aurelia!”_

_Her world went extremely bright after that, blinding her from reality._

*~~~~~~*

Gasping loudly, Stiles sprang into a sitting position. Clutching his ringing head, he tried to ward off the memories but they just kept coming.

“It would be better if you didn’t fight it.” Caspian commented from the corner of the room.

Stiles’ eyes slid open an inch, “What are you doing to me?”

“Showing you your history… your past… Focus.”

Stiles gasped, dropping on her back again, teeth clenching hard as the memories bombarded her again.

*~~~~~~*

_“Mama, look! The moon is full.” Two small girls pointed at the large moon. Funny, it looked closer than Stiles has ever seen the moon in his life._

_Alina walked up behind her, “Yes… It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She smiled at the little girl. “Come Claudia… Cordelia. It is not safe to be out this late.” She grabbed her hand and led her back inside._

_“Yes, but… I thought lady Luna was watching over us.” The blonde mumbled._

_“She is…” Alina smiled sadly, “But there are things even she cannot protect us from.”_

***Many years later***

_“Oh, for the love of… Colette! Honora! Do not run too far.” The elderly woman yelled at two pre-teens. Stiles stared at the image. He was certain it was Alina but she looked much older._

_A younger woman came out of the house – the same one from before – “Mama, why don’t you go rest? I’ll handle the girls.”_

_Alina grumbled and went to sit in the rocking chair on the porch, “You musn’t let them disregard their duties, ‘tis a bad habit.”_

_Claudia walked out the house with a smile, “They’re only children, Mama. No harm will come of their dilly dallying.”_

_Alina grumbled again, then turned to the woman. “You have done a marvelous job of raising them thus far… I am proud of you, girls.”_

_“All thanks awarded to you, Mama.”_

_“Papa!” The girls cried as the man appeared on a horse not far off. They rushed off to meet him at the gate._

_Claudia went to stand but Alina grabbed her wrist. “The time has come for you to carry the torch… Remind them how important they are… They are our legacy. They are most important. Whichever one of them bares the Heiress… both are exceptional and both with bring about a great change for our kind.”_

_“Cordelia’s children still live, Mama. It is not written in stone that mine be the ones to carry on the legacy.”_

_Alina shook her head, “You are of the main bloodline… The future of our people rests with those who descend from your blood.”_

_Claudia frowned, “I know, Mama. Though I wish such a burden was not placed on them.”_

_“They will not be alone… They will never be alone.”_

***Several generations later***

_“You’re having a boy! Congratulations Mrs Stilinski!” Claudia breathed a sigh of relief… She was having a boy… her child would not be the prophesised Heiress. She turned to smile at John._

_“We’re having a little boy!”_

***A Few Months Later***

_“One last push, Mrs Stilinski!”_

_“You’ve got this, honey. You’re doing great!”_

_“Shut up John! Just shut the hell up!” Claudia growled. She clenched her teeth and gave one last push. A moment later a screech echoed through the air. Claudia dropped back on the bed, breathing hard. She did it… Her baby boy was finally here…_

_“Here he is… A healthy baby boy.” The nurse handed her the small baby._

_“He’s so tiny…” Claudia whispered._

_“It’s to be expected sometimes. But he’s perfectly healthy.” The doctor assured._

_Claudia smiled down at the tiny human in her arms, happier than ever that she was having a little boy. This was it… the dreams had been wrong. Her baby was not destined to save a world of people he didn’t even know. “You were wrong great grandmother… And you too, Noshiko.” Claudia smiled when the baby wrapped his tiny hand around her pinky. “Hello, there little one…” She whispered._

_The baby gurgled wetly and opened his eyes… Claudia’s heart dropped to her feet, her entire body going cold… They were purple… Her baby boy’s eyes shone a bright purple. The light shimmered out to reveal big whiskey honey eyes colored eyes but there was no mistaking what Claudia saw._

_John burst through the door then, a large grin on his face. His excitement to be a father overpowered his attentiveness and he failed to notice his wife’s dull comatose state, even as she wordlessly handed him the baby._

*~***~*

_“I don’t understand! He’s a boy! The prophesy revealed an Heiress, not an Heir! This has to be a mistake Noshiko!” Claudia yelled into the phone._

_“I’m sorry, Cousin. But I’ve lived 900 years and I have shown no signs of a Spark… You know what I am. I am not of the main bloodline… but you are.”_

_“No!” Claudia cried, pacing the floor of their house. “I will not allow this! I will not stand for this, Noshiko! There must be a way to…” She paused; her sight drawn to the many trees before their house. Of course, if she can take away that which makes her son the bearer of the prophecy… she would have ridden him of it._

_“Claudia?” Noshiko asked when the woman went quit on the other line. “I wish I could ease you pain by telling you different but… Kira is exceptionally human. If there is a Spark in her, it is of the utmost ordinary kind. And for that I am grateful.”_

_Claudia smiled sadly, “And I am happy for you, Cousin… Truly, I am."_

_“Thank you…” The Asian woman sighed, “Do not despair. Perhaps he will only pass on the Spark and his descendants will carry out the prophecy.”_

_“Perhaps.” Claudia whispered, but her heart was not in it. “Perhaps you’re right, Noshiko… I must go. Mieczyslaw is going to wake soon.”_

_Noshiko chuckled at the name. “So traditional. Bye.”_

_Claudia placed the phone down and went up to her son’s nursery. Smiling down at his wide-eyed face, she smiled, “I’m going to protect you, my little one. Even if it ends me.”_

*~***~*

_It took her a couple of weeks but she finally found it… The Nemeton. Bouncing baby Stiles in her arms, she walked over to the stump and placed him on it. Kneeling by the roots, she took off her white stone pendant and held it tightly in her hands. Then she gazed up at the full moon._

_“I ask for nothing else, lady Luna. Only that you relieve my son of his burden…” She stood and got to work. Drawing multiple runes around Stiles’ squirming body, Claudia knelt back down on the roots. “I offer you this as a gift… Tree of life and death, beginning and end, North and South… Relieve him of his burden… his curse.” She opened her eyes, specks of purple dancing in her irises._

_“Take his Spark.”_

*~~~~~~*

Stiles sprang up with a gasp for the second time. Only this time, he was in the expensive bath tub filled with cold water. He shivered and wrapped his arms around his legs, resting his chin on his bent knees, his eyes taking a faraway look.

Caspian crouched beside the tub, with Remi standing behind him… a look of concern on his face. Caspian placed a gentle hand on Stiles’ wet arm. “Stiles?" 

Stiles didn’t even spare him a glance, he continued shivering violently, taking in long, wet breaths while staring at absolutely nothing… After a long moment, he finally spoke. 

“She took it…” He mumbled, his voice trembling in horror and disbelief, “She took my Spark away.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-huh... You're welcome. LMAO! Did it go as you expected? I'm willing to bet 50/50...  
> Right, I'm leaving you here until next/this weekend, hope you enjoyed Peter's entrance, (you've been raving about it long enough XD) and Stiles' vision quest or whatever you wanna call it. Sorry for mistakes and errors, I'm pretty sure I made quiet a few.
> 
> Thank you, thank you for reading! Can't thank you enough! See you next week!  
> Love youuu and TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter has difficulty grasping the concept of fatherhood and Stiles has finally had enough as he lets an old friend out of his designated room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here's what's happening... I wrote a 24hr research exam paper that closed today at 2pm and I am just about to my last wit with college...
> 
> So, how's your day?
> 
> Hope this update makes it a bit better... Really, I do.  
> Onward.

**Beacon Hills  
Stilinski Residence**

Peter froze. Okay, hear him out alright? Peter is not expressly known for being stupid or slow… But how the hell did he have two-year-old children – he was sure that’s how old they were, judging by their size – when he hasn’t been in a relationship with a woman for over two decades? Yes, you heard him right— twenty years.

The last person he was with was Stiles – obviously – and the last time he checked; they were both male. So… forgive him if he was trying and discern exactly how and when he became a sperm donor… Because that’s the only other way he would be a father to two toddlers. 

“Peter!” Derek growled, “Will you stop staring at them and say something?”

Okay… he would say something. “What the f—”

“I swear to _G.O.D,_ if you curse in front of them, I will shank the crap outta you.” Isaac growled, then turned on his heels— Claudie twisting in his arms to keep a hold of Peter’s hand over Isaac’s shoulder, grunting and whimpering when Peter didn’t follow— Isaac paused, “Come on, it’s cold out here and since you decided to visit so late, I guess we have no choice but to invite you in… Be thankful Mr Stilinski isn’t here.” The wolf grumbled, “Now, come on.”

Well, he doesn’t remember Isaac being so outspokenly bossy but… he could respect that. But he would only tolerate so much snarky attitude from the wolf.

“Derek!” Isaac snapped.

Derek sighed and glared at Peter, “Inside. Now.” 

The only thing stopping Peter from tearing into him vocally was the shock still running through… so, he obliged.

*~***~*

So, there he stood across Derek, while Isaac played with his – supposed – children a room over. Having seen that Peter wasn’t going anywhere, they had calmed and were now playing with their respective plushies. The more Peter looked at them, the more he saw Stiles in them and how would that even be possible when Derek and Isaac claimed that they were his children?

Peter met Derek’s stare with a glare of his own, “Start explaining.” He ordered his nephew. 

Crossing his arms over his chest, Derek did his signature eyebrow language, “What?”

Peter merely intensified his glare, raising an expectant brow of his own. Derek had to admit, it still had a kick behind it, even after the man has died ten thousand times. “Nephew, I believe I did not stutter, not did I mumble. How do I have kids?” 

“I’m pretty sure you were _there,_ Peter! You should know how babies are made,” The Sourwolf deadpanned, “You should specifically know how you made these two.” Peter’s eye twitched. Derek completely ignored that, “And now that that’s sufficiently settled… where the hell have you been?”

He almost yelled out in frustration because really, this was not the time for Derek’s particular brand of sass. “You just dropped a hundred-ton bombshell on my head by telling me that I’m a father to two children and yet you think now is the time to question me about my whereabouts?” 

“Yes.”

“Derek! What do you mean those kids are my children? They look nothing like me.”

Derek sighed, “Peter… How long were you with Stiles?”

Whoa… not where he thought this was going but… He and Stiles never told anyone about their relationship and nobody cared to notice but Peter did not want anyone to look at Stiles differently for having been with him as he was always public enemy number one… He did not want that to affect people’s perspective of Stiles. “What makes you think I was ever with—”

“Cut the crap. Five years with Stiles, uncle Peter, he told us.” Derek sighed sadly, looking down at his feet, arms crossed over his chest. “I first suspected when I saw his reaction to your… _death_.”

Peter’s chest tightened. A necessary evil he had committed in order to keep Stiles safe. Letting him believe that he was dead. It was the only way he knew Stiles wouldn’t follow wherever he was… It wasn’t his idea; Cora was the one to come up with it. Peter woke up the morning after the fight in a car with his niece and she told him she had announced him dead to the Beacon Hills gang. Peter could have turned back… but he knew leaving would be best for Stiles. He had to protect his little Spark…

Peter froze suddenly, listened carefully to every sound inside and outside the house. He tilted his head to sniff the air and… the scent was stale… at least two days old. “Derek… Where _is_ Stiles?” Honestly, he should be the one explaining this.

Isaac appeared on the doorway, “ _Now_ he notices…” He glared at peter, “Stiles is missing… Jerk.” 

“Define missing,” Peter glared at the both of them, growing tired of Isaac’s audacity. “And how is this not the first thing you told me?” 

“Since two nights ago, but you wouldn’t know… You know, since you’re dead and all.” Isaac seethed. “And we didn’t tell you because you have no right to know anything concerning Stiles, asshole.”

Derek sighed, “Baby—” 

“ _Shut up, Derek_!” Derek blinked and raised his hands in peace. Yeah, peacemaker never worked when Isaac is in his… angry wolf mode. “You think you can barge back in town and claim authority over all information Stiles? When _you’re_ the one that broke him in the first place! You know how much he mourned you?! How much Derek mourned you?! I never liked you Peter because to be honest, I never really expressly knew you. You were a non-factor to me but you were Derek’s uncle and the love of Stiles’ life! You hurt them! And because I love them, I hurt with them! I mourned you just as much as they did!”

Peter stared at him with an emotionless expression. He would allow Isaac to vent; he’s found that it was the best way to move forward. Someone bottling something up does not make it better and best lay everything on the ground right now and be done with it. He also felt a tinge of guilt at hurting Stiles but he thought Derek would have known that he still lived, he spoke to Cora often enough… Peter made a note to congratulate Cora on her ability to keep a secret for so long.

Derek on the other hand felt he should do something. But Isaac was seething and it’s never worked out well for him before to interrupt him when he was trying to make a point with such anger in his system.

“Stiles is missing and we’ve been looking for a way to find him, you being here complicates the shit out of everything but the reality is that you’re here and we can’t change that.” Isaac paused to breathe in, “So, you only have two options left: one, you man the fuck up and help us find Stiles and two, open your dead beat brain up to the possibility that those kids upstairs are yours and Stiles’ because they are and they’re already here and you refusing to believe it will not make them disappear!”

That got a reaction out of Peter, though not the one Isaac was hoping for. Peter’s eyes widened a fraction as he frowned “Did you just say they’re _mine_ and _Stiles’?_ ”

“Jesus Christ!” Isaac screamed to the skies and stomped off upstairs.

Derek sighed, “You really have a gift… He hasn’t been that steamed in years.”

“Look at my face and try to tell whether I care or not, Derek.” Peter stared at him blankly “How are those kids mine and Stiles’? Did he use a surrogate? Is it just code to say Stiles gave them my name?” By name, of course, he means the Hale name. There were two ways this could go: One, Stiles used a surrogate and placed both his name and Peter’s on the papers… or two...

“Peter… Stiles gave birth to them.”

Oh… Oh no… That’s what he was afraid of. Peter’s blood ran cold. “So… they’re Stiles’… and _mine… biologically_?” Derek nodded, a little confused as to when his uncle became so slow. But Peter was not being slow… Quite far from it.

All he could think was the fact that if Stiles was able to do that it meant he was exactly what Peter feared he was… and more.

Derek stared at him, “Peter, why are you even back here?” Peter raised his gaze, Derek seeing the obvious confusion in them. “Why are you in Beacon Hills?... Why now?” Now, call Derek crazy and paranoid but Peter popping up in town has never been a coincidence. Now, Peter popping up in town at the exact same time that they were was downright suspicious as all hells.

Peter shook his head, remembering how he’d been fighting the urge to hit the road for months now, actually. The need intensified a night ago. Jesus, typical Beacon Hills. He hasn’t even been here for 24 hours and already he’s losing his shit. His head suddenly moved to where Isaac disappeared off too… Could it be…?

Derek eyed him suspiciously, “Did Stiles contact you before he was taken?” He didn’t believe Stiles would betray them like that but it’s something to consider.

Peter’s narrowed eyes met his, “Taken? You just said he was _missing_!” He growled, his eyes flashing red.

“And since when have you known Stiles to just go missing, asshole?!”—again with the name calling— “Obviously, he was taken!” Derek growled back.

“By what? And why haven’t you gotten him back yet?” Or at least out there trying to. Why were they sitting in his house instead of getting him back?

Derek glared at him and slammed a fist on the counter, “You think if we could have gotten to him, we wouldn’t have taken him back by now?! You think I’m wearing these _bandages_ for fun?!” He lifted his black shirt to show the bandages holding his ribs together while they healed, “We were out there today! We _fought_ with those things!”

“What _things,_ Derek?!” Peter snapped, but somehow still managing to keep his voice low enough so it wouldn’t carry to the sleeping kids. “What took Stiles?!”

“Wraith.” Derek replied calmly. “Stiles was taken by a group of wraiths.”

Peter’s body chilled. No… this is exactly what he was trying to prevent. He was supposed to get out. Stiles was supposed to have been hidden outside of Beacon Hills. How did they find him? How did they detect his… Spark…

_“…Stiles gave birth to them…”_

He remembers Derek’s words. There was only one-way Stiles could have done this… only one way he could have had the power to create life. But he can’t be. Stiles couldn’t be it… That would make the Oracle he visited right and Peter hated it when Oracles were right, it never meant well. They never predict good fortune, always destruction and pain… Peter stayed away to try and prevent exactly this. So, why was it happening?

*~***~*

An hour later, Peter found himself healing from a bullet wound from the Sheriff’s gun.

Yes, you guessed right, the man walked in, asked two questions and then opened fire. Peter held no grudge, he deserved it and Stiles did always say his father would shoot Peter so… Having knocked up his not only teenage but very male son justified a bullet to the chest. Peter was just happy that it was plain silver.

So, he stood still and listened while the man ranted and yelled and vented. Isaac smirked, Derek sighed and Peter groaned… In the end, John only allowed him to stay under the watchful eye of the other two wolves – himself included – and only after both Derek and Isaac confirmed that the twins were settled by their father’s presence since their other father was still missing.

Peter barely even flinched after being shot, he had expected it for years. The man was Stiles’ father, and he was the man who broke his son’s heart… yes, Peter had it coming. Not only that, but he apparently sired two children with his son and was completely unavailable for what was probably the hardest time of Stiles’ life. He got off easy.

Speaking of the twins. Peter currently stood in the bedroom, staring down at the peaceful faces of Stiles’ kids… His kids… Their kids. Okay, it would take a while to become familiar with the idea that his Spark gave birth to his children, but his wolf was a different matter. He was preening. He was proud of his mate and now of his cubs. He already felt extremely and instinctually attached to these tiny wolves and Peter hated that the human in him—while still in denial—felt the same to a small extent.

Reaching forward, he ran his finger over Petra’s nose and Claudie’s cheek, watching as they twitched in their sleep. God, how long could he deny himself their love and them his love when they look so much like his love? They honestly looked nothing like Peter… which still merits some doubt. Claudius is blonde for God’s sake.

But he couldn’t deny that they smelled like him. Which is weird because at their age, they should have their own scents by now, his and Stiles’ should only be underlying. But they smelled entirely like him and he was happy to see that they didn’t have Stiles’ spark… Not that it would be a bad thing, but how bad would it be if the Wraiths found out that Stiles already has an heir…

Not only an heir, but one of his kind.

“They have the Hale mark.”

Peter turned to peek over his shoulder at Isaac. He had to admit – after a long while— that he liked the newly spicy wolf. Peter could handle sass, it’s when people are vulnerable that he doesn’t know what to do… “What?” He asked.

“You’re wondering if they’re really yours because they’re small and they don’t share any features with you…” Isaac deadpanned quietly. “They’re still _babies,_ genius, of course they don’t share any of your features yet. And no offence to Stiles but he looks like a giant baby himself, I’m pretty sure he still looks like he did as a toddler. The Hale family looks all dark and mysterious than anything, they’ll get there in time but in the meantime… I know about the Hale birthmark and they both have it.”

Peter smirked, “Of course you do. You’ve probably seen every inch of Derek’s body.” Of course, he could sniff Derek on Isaac and vice versa, even without all the whole Derek calling Isaac baby and all the touching they do.

“Mind your business” Isaac blushed “But yes, I have and that is why I know that you have it too… Well, so do they and it isn’t because of Derek.”

Peter’s irritation flared at the thought of the twins possibly being Derek’s. “And how would I know that?”

“Because Derek loves me and Stiles loves you.” Came Isaac’s simple response. “Also, I highly doubt you would have a paternal bond with your great niece and nephew. You certainly don’t have one with Derek and Cora. And why would Stiles lie even if they were Derek’s?”

“I’m not denying they’re mine, Puppy.”

“Don’t call me that.” Isaac growled. “Also, you _are._ But that’s good, it gives me assurance that you really are Peter. The Peter I know does not trust easily and he’s very defensive…” Isaac got up from one of the chairs to make way to the door, “Stiles was already pregnant when Derek and I found him four years ago… Yes, they’re four. Stiles explained it… Their growth is just slower to that of ordinary babies and that’s why they look two and a half-ish… sound familiar?”

Peter frowned down at the twins as the door clicked shut softly. Of course, Stiles was also a late bloomer but not for purposes of the mind. His mind grew but his body followed at a slower rate. That is why even at 19, he looked like a freshman or junior in high school. Both in height and in looks. Peter highly doubted that he’s changed since the last time he saw him. It was the Spark in him… Sparks grow slower because they live much longer than humans. Nobody knows just how long though.

And now, knowing that there is a possibility that Stiles could be more than an ordinary Spark… Peter wondered just what that meant for his mate, for his children… For his newly found family.

**~~***~~**

**Wraith Realm**

Stiles sat on his bed, eyes looking blankly across the room at absolutely nothing. He felt numb to reality, numb to the truth. His mother knew… she knew what he was and she took it from him. Stiles’ spark helped him with his ADHD, it went away after he got his spark back. What if losing it as a child was the reason why he even had ADHD in the first place? Did his father know? Was he lying to him all these years?

Remi cast a look to his brother before looking back at the semi-comatose figure on the bed. He didn’t know Stiles, there was no reason he should be nice to him or help him escape but if Stiles really is the next heir, then he’s family. He and Caspian were taken at a very young age and stranded here… he wouldn’t want the same fate for another. Especially not one who could possibly save them from this hell.

“Stiles…” Remi started softly and cautiously. “What did you see?” He wouldn’t know. All he did was charge up every single one of Stiles’ memories, he himself did not see them. Nifty little trick, but it had its flaws in this manner.

Caspian glanced at Remi by his side, before he too looked to Stiles, “You said _she_ took your Spark… Who did?”

Stiles merely blinked softly at the space he was staring at. It all made sense now, why his Spark gained realness and became more than mere belief after the… _Nogitsune_. It was because he had been waiting for Stiles. For years Stiles was the only perfect vessel because he housed Stiles’ magical spark for all of his life and stole it from the Nemeton when Claudia offered it to the tree… It was through Stiles’ spark that he became strong enough to create the Darach that let him out of his prison.

And through him that you got your spark back. A voice in Stiles’ head reminded. It was _him_ … The Nogitsune’s shadow that still lives inside Stiles… the one he constantly fights every day…

_Void._

He never truly left. Not when the demon fox was removed and certainly not when Peter mended Stiles. Peter… Stiles missed him so much. He made everything bearable and for a long time Stiles believed he actually healed him… But then he broke Stiles by leaving him. How could Peter? Stiles had expected him to hightail it out of town and if he’d asked, Stiles would have followed him but… How do you follow someone in death?

He faintly registered the door closing; only then did he move. First his eyes to the door, then he got out of bed… Maybe this is it. He now knows why Sebastian captured him and is now keen on turning him over to the bad side but Stiles was already bad. He had a darkness that would make Sebastian quake in fear. All these years he’s kept strong and didn’t let it consume him no matter how much he wanted to give up, because trust and believe he did want to give up after he lost Peter.

But then two little angels entered his life and they were two beautiful pieces of Peter that he still had. His Familiar lived on in them… Now he was taken away from them too and Stiles was tired… he was so tired of fighting evil the right way. It always costs him something.

Walking into the bathroom, he stared emotionless into mirror. Receiving no hint of assurance from his reflection, he leaned against the basin and closed his eyes. Why was being the good guy and fighting fair and good always so difficult?

*~~~~~~*

_“In order to defeat your enemy, sometimes you have to be their enemy first. You think I got this far by being good?”_

_“You got this far by being an evil psychopath!” Scott glared, only managing to draw a smirk from the Hale wolf._

_“Bob’s your uncle.” The man shrugged, placing a hand on Stiles’ lower back, leading him away from the group of miscreantes._

_Stiles snorted once they were in the car, “Your game of tag with Scott never gets old.”_

_Peter sent him a charming grin, “Only offering valuable advice to an idiot, I’d hardly call this a cat and mouse game, darlin.”_

_“I said Tag, not mouse and cat.” Stiles laughed._

_“Good,” The wolf chirped, “Because I do believe that the latter is reserved for the two of us… behind closed doors.” He wiggled his perfect bushy eyebrows suggestively. Stiles laughed with a shake of his head._

_“Sure, Zombie-wolf.” Stiles smirked, remembering the expression he saw on his ex-best friend’s face. It was priceless…_

_But was Peter, right? Can some evil only be fought with evil?_

*~~~~~~*

Stiles reached for the ring hanging over his chest but came up empty. That’s right, he left it behind, he had a hunch this would happen and he didn't want to lose it so he left it.

He finally opened his eyes… His skin was paler than it was a moment ago. His lips a little dark, almost grey black, and dark circles around his dark eyes. Stiles knew that was not how he truly looked…

Void was smiling at him from within. Humans say eyes are the windows to the soul… No… They have no idea the sheer power of mirrors. They were the true windows to the soul... and then some.

Void smiled at him in the mirror. _‘Come, come… You knew the day would come when you would need me. Today is judgement day.’_ Stiles’ own voice echoed in his head. Dark, deep, low and scary, but Void’s mouth did not move. He merely kept staring, as Stiles stared at him. Stiles pondered his words. Maybe he isn’t good… Maybe, he _shouldn’t_ be good.

_‘You know you want to. They did this to us. They took us away from Petra and Claudie… it’s only fair that we hit back hard. Make him proud.’_

“You just want to get out. You’re not doing this for my children.” Stiles sneered back at his mirror. Doing this, allowing Void would sever Stiles’ connection to his twins and he was scared that that would affect them in a bad way. He’s never been Void since the Nogitsune was extracted from him and becoming him would mean using a different form of spark, one he expressly made sure to protect his children from. Breaking his spark’s connection to them would be the only way to ensure that his darkness does not reach them and he doesn’t know if he’ll ever get that connection back but… It’s a risk he’ll have to take in order to get out of here and back to them.

Void tilted his head in the mirror, _‘And that’s bad?... Tell you what… You let me out and I’ll get us out of here. No games, no tricks.’_ His smirk disappeared, _‘Besides, we both know you’re more than strong enough to cage me up again, but I’m just as much a prisoner as you are in this hellhole and I want out… Now if you want me to play nice—’_

“No.” Stiles said suddenly. Stiles leaned closer to the mirror, causing Void to blink confusedly, “You think I’d be engaging you if I wanted to play nice? I let you out, and I want complete chaos… I’m done playing nice. Time to Void.”

No more Mr Nice Guy. If Void wants to come out… Stiles would let him. _I’m sorry Claudie, Petra… But Tata has to do this._

Void smirked back at him in the mirror and placed his hand flat on the surface, _‘What’s my name?’_

Stiles looked at the hand and only hesitated for a moment before placing his own hand over that of his darker self, “Void” he summoned in a whisper.

He gasped and closed his eyes, head hanging low and his shoulders slumping as the substitution took place. A moment later, he looked up. Eyes a deep black with purple bruises around them, mouth a dark greyish blue, skin ashy grey… Void Stiles smirked at his reflection.

“Well,” He cracked his neck hauntingly “It is good to be back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: When I use the term "slow" I mean that not in a mental condition or disorder way but just slow to comprehend...**
> 
> Okay, so, this is where the angst starts... A lot of angst to follow and you might either love me or hate me or _love to hate me_ ;) (haha Blinks anyone?), but promise to stay with me? Pretty please? You won't regret it... I pwomise! Just stick with me to the end.
> 
> Sorry for mistakes and all that...
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> Love ya!  
> \--Nixie.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter insinuates having more knowledge as to whats really going on than the rest of the company does, quite ominously and then has a bit of a Papa alpha wolf moment. Void has a bit of fun...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm... Having written an exam on Saturday, I thought today was Saturday... I'm disoriented...
> 
> So yeah, happy Sunday! Enjoy the chapter!  
> Onward!

**Beacon Hills  
Stilinski Residence**

It was very early morning when it happened. After spending an entire night of mapping out to John, Derek and Isaac exactly where he believed the Nemeton to be, Peter was still explaining to them how it was impossible that they could open a door to the Wraith Realm in their own world.

“Because, it’s not a world meant for the living.” 

“Aren’t wraiths half dead, half alive?” John asked. 

Peter frowned, “Where did you get that?” 

Derek dropped the Beastiary on the table in front of his uncle, “Lydia translated most of the text from the chapter about Wraiths. According to the book—”

“What? No, there’s no record of Wraiths here… At least not this kind.” Peter cut it, already paging through the book. He got to the chapter and read the Latin text if nothing than to see if Lydia translated right, and she did… however… Peter sighed in frustration, “You won’t find a way to save Stiles this way, _idiots_!”

Isaac glared, “The same _idiots_ who’ve been all resources looking for _your_ missing mate for two days, asshole. And how the hell were we supposed to know the Beastiary wouldn’t help? It has so far which is more than I can say for you.” 

“Mate?! What?!” John reached for his gun. Derek snatched it out of his hand quickly.

“Whoa! Sheriff, I think he’s had enough bullets in him tonight.” He then turned to his uncle, “Explain or I let him shoot you.” 

Peter sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, and then jabbed the Beastiary with his fingers, “This book is like a half-assed research essay by a student who didn’t even try. It only gives you a sliver of the information that you need, most of it incredibly inaccurate. It was written _by_ Hunters, _for_ Hunters, they don’t know the full extent of anything other than what they see… that is, all inhumane or superhuman creatures as _monsters_.” He met Derek’s eyes, seeing the anger that shone in them. “You can’t always trust the Beastiary because it doesn’t tell you the other—real— side of the story, only their perspective.” 

“Okay, well, right now we don’t need any other side except how to fight these things and get my son back.” John sneered, already not liking how pretentious Peter seemed. It’s his natural air, Peter knows how much his mere presence infuriates because he’s been accused of ‘acting like he’s perfect’ which… what? Who acts like they’re perfect? Nobody’s perfect but Peter knows that if he had to be, he wouldn’t put effort into it. He’d just be naturally perfect.

Peter stares at John for a long while before blinking, “Sheriff…” He was going to risk another bullet but he had to ask “Did you know what your wife was?” 

John blinked, “What?” 

“Claudia… Did you know what she was?” 

John gaped and shook his head, wondering in passing how Peter knew his late wife's name, then remembering that he had dated Stiles, who must have told him. Doesn't mean he was happy to have Peter mention his wife, “What the hell are you talking about, Hale?” He was still irritated with the man for causing his son so much grief and pain. 

“You really don’t think Stiles got his spark from thin air?” Peter raised a brow, “You’re not a Spark… your wife must have been… In fact, I’m almost completely certain she was.” 

Derek looked at John’s shocked face and then back to his uncle, “Why are you telling us this, Peter?” 

The man in question paused, his mind going blank for a second. If he said it out loud, it would be true, but ignoring it could mean dire consequences for their attempts at saving Stiles. But he could be wrong… the Oracle could be wrong. He looked up at the questioning stares, “I think—”

“TATA!!!!” two shrieks boomed through the house. They were so loud that the wolves had to over their ears as they stumbled out the kitchen. 

Derek and Isaac were the first ones to reach the twins’ room. As soon as they entered, the kids crawled across their bed, crying their little hearts out. Derek and Isaac rushed forward to pick them up, only ending up with wet faces squished into their necks. John walked over to the two and Isaac didn’t hesitate to hand Petra over to him. Derek was a little reluctant to let Claude go, holding him very close to his chest as the little boy sobbed in his neck. 

Peter, although his chest burned with the urge to surge forward and rip the kids away from the others, planted his feet firmly on the ground and stood still. Instead, he watched from across the room as other men comforted his children. He knew it would be selfish to suddenly claim all things parenting when he hasn’t been there for four years. He also knew that he didn’t deserve Petra and Claudie’s love. He knew he had it, he could feel it, but he still felt a sense of guilt… If Stiles were here, he would tell him that he’d have to earn it. And Peter would… But right now, his heart broke with their heart wrenching sobs, he just wanted to hold his cubs.

“Screw it.” The Alpha muttered to himself before heading over to Derek and held his hands out, “Give him here.” Derek hesitated for a mere second and it was a second too long because Peter’s wolf broke free. His eyes flashed red, “Derek, give me my son.” He growled lowly, so as to not startle the kids. 

Knowing that his uncle’s actions were purely instinctual, Derek nodded but before he could even attempt to hand Claudie over, the boy rose his head from his neck and turned towards Peter. The wolf wasted no time securing him in a tight hug. Upon being secured in his father’s arms, Claudius seemed to cry harder, remembering the loss of his other father. 

Peter never felt so heartbroken and the same look was reflected on all of the adults’ faces. Peter pressed his lips to Claudie’s crown, bounding a bit as he tried to calm him, “Shh… I’m here. I’ve got you, sweetheart, it’s okay. Daddy’s here.” He walked over to John and placed a hand on Petra’s head. The little girl rose her head and also reached out for him. John, unlike Derek, did not hesitate to hand her over. With his free arm, Peter took Petra and held her close. He felt the twins clasp their hands together hands behind his neck and with their free hands, clutched the front of his shirt. “Alright, angel, Daddy’s got you.” He whispered into Petra's hair.

He pulled them closer and made for the door, leaving behind three slightly stunned adults. Derek sighed, “Well, I never thought I’d see _that_ Peter. At least not in this lifetime.” 

Isaac nodded, “Yeah… He does seem to care… A lot.” Which Isaac thought they would have to drag out the love for his own children out of him. He was pleased to see that it would not be necessary as the twins were already attached... He blamed Stiles. Only slightly.

“He loves them.” John mussed, “He might try at denial for a while but… I know what becoming a parent does and he’s no different.” He saw the look in Peter’s eyes as the man watched them from afar before rushing forward, he was breaking right there. He was honestly glad that Peter was the one who came to them and took the twins, he would have killed the man had he let his grandchildren cry out to him without gaining a reaction. 

Peter was his grandchildren’s other father and no matter how much John hated the fact that Stiles didn’t find someone his own age to fall in love with… He had to believe that there is something monumentally special about Peter that Stiles loved him enough to create two children with him. If not for Petra and Claudie… John might have had doubts about the man’s intentions for his son, but his own son’s intentions shone through with those two being he created. Stiles unconditionally loved Peter and John would make an effort to tolerate the man. 

“It’s different with wolves.” Derek mussed, “Peter didn’t come here of his own volition… He was summoned by the call of pack.” He then frowned, “The question is… Why now? Why not four years ago?” 

*~***~*

Peter paced the living room with the twins until their sobs quieted down to hiccups. He then walked over to the kitchen and sat them at the counter right across the fridge. He was surprised by how obedient they were. Making quick work of his movements, he placed a small jug of milk in the microwave to warm it. As soon as it warmed, he poured it into two sippy cups and added a teaspoon of honey in each. 

Walking back over to the twins, he handed one to each—smiling when they gave him pleased, teary eyed smiles— then picked them up and walked over to the living room to plop on the couch, leaning back so the twins could lay on his chest. As soon as they all got comfortably settled, he turned on the TV to a cartoon channel and sank deeper into the couch, clutching his children closer and running his hands over their feet, hair, backs and arms, while nuzzling the top of their head with his nose. He knew he was scenting, and it was instinctual but he dared not stop.

He also knew no words were needed. All they needed right now was comfort and his scent… and he needed theirs. Sure, he’s had pack all these years but, he hasn't scented anyone blood related – except Cora – in a long time and the twins being his children intensified the need… plus they also held Stiles’ scent. He looked down at their faces—still tracking old and new tears— as they sucked on their honey milk. His heart ached, wondering what happened to Stiles that could have startled them so much. 

He knew for a fact that the wraiths haven’t turned Stiles because the Blood Moon was still upon them and they wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the ritual like hurting him or something of the sort. Which led him to the conclusion that whatever was happening must have been Stiles’ doing… was he sending them a message through the twins? 

_What are you up to, darlin'?_

**~~***~~**

**Wraith Realm**

Void shrugged on a deep red shirt, slacks and then reached for Stiles’ converses. Glancing at himself in the mirror, Void smirked and ran a hand through his hair. Taking in a huge breath, he let out a sigh, “Ahhh, not exactly oxygen but… it’ll do. Now let’s go wreak havoc, shall we?” He raised a brow at his reflection, Stiles nodded back at him.

Opening the door to his 'room', Void walked out just as an unnamed and faceless wraith walked by. The wraith stopped and turned to him, grabbing his arm in a fierce grip, “Hey, you can’t— arghh” He finished with a breathless groan. Void’s hand firm around his throat.

Void smirked and slammed him against the wall, hefting him higher so he dangled a few inches of the ground. Shaking a finger at him with his free hand, Void clicked his tongue, “See, what we’re not gonna do is tell me what I can or can’t do, especially since I’m not here of my own volition and certainly not for laughs and giggles.” Tightening his grip harder, Void cut off the wraiths’ circulation until his eyes rolled back and he slumped in his hold. 

Void opened the door to Stiles’ designated room and dragged the man in, closing the door again once the boy was inside. He paused and tilted his head in wonder, “Huh… who knew they breathed?” With a careless chuckle, he stuffed his hands in his pant pockets and whistled his way down the hall. 

*~***~*

Navigating the halls, Void managed to avoid more wraiths, until he came at the top of the entrance hall again. The place was buzzing with activity. There were final preparations being made, decorations put up and socialization happening. Void leaned in one of the shadows and glanced down at the 'commoners' with a bored expression. 

“And to think they did all of this for me…” He glanced at his reflection on a shiny gold pillar, “Or, well… you.” Stiles rolled his eyes in the reflection but remained quiet. “Huh… quiet one, ain’t ya?... Alright, baby mama, that Sebastian is a smart one. I’m pretty sure the commotion is nothing more than a way to ensure that I… _we_ … you don’t slip away unnoticed.” 

_‘We need a disguise’_

Void pouted, “Aww… I thought you were gonna let me have fun.”

Stiles groaned in his head, _‘I am, but not here. You’ll have plenty of fun when we reach the dungeons.’_

Void blinked at his reflection, “Uhh… unless you have a bucket list that includes a being locked up in a dungeon—”

_‘No, idiot, that’s where they’re keeping Ethan.’_

Void nodded, “Okay, fantastic. Don’t care.” 

_‘Void—'_

“No, no, no, _Stilesie-poo._ I’m in control now, I say where we go and down at the party is where all the fun is.” Void smirked, a dark look in his eyes, “That wolf,” He spit the word, “Is not our responsibility, if his pack wants him back… they’ll have to come get him themselves.” 

_‘Void, if you leave him, I will destroy you.’_

Void looked back to the pillar to smile at Stiles’ reflection, “Now, now, no need for threats and why would you do that? I know you want to leave him just as much as I do. You only strive to convince yourself you wanna save him but the reality is… you still hate him for what happened to Erica and Boyd.” He smirked when Stiles’ eyes and lips twitched in anger, “Remember where your loyalties lie, Stiles, and then _prioritize._ If they catch us down at the dungeon, then we won’t see your kids again. I’m just trying to help _you_ here.” Without waiting for a response from Stiles, Void moved from the shadows. “Worry not, if all goes according to plan, we can go back for him… or not. I'd prefer 'or not'.” He chuckled. “Ooh… incoming.” 

With that he grabbed a guest that was just passing by, dragged him behind the pillar and banged his head against it. It all happened too fast, even he didn’t have time to react. Stripping the man of his cloak, he draped it over himself, knowing that it would swallow his smaller frame. Bringing the huge hood over his head, he smirked at his reflection. The cloak was a deep crimson tone that matched his shirt. 

“Now what was it that the Hale wolf called you again?” Void rubbed his chin, “Ah yes… _Little Red Riding Hood_.” He smirked at Stiles’ peeved expression and made his way down to the hall. Scanning the are quickly, he sported a girl coming towards him… Perfect. 

“Atticus! I’ve been looking all over for you! Come, come! Annabelle is positively outraged!” The fancy dressed blonde woman didn’t even bother looking at Stiles’ face before dragging him off. But after a moment of pulling, she paused and turned to him, eyes narrowed. “When did you get so slim and so… short.” Only then did she notice that the man before her was at eye-level with her, with ‘Atticus’ she always had to look up at him. Her eyes widened as she opened her mouth. 

Void covered her mouth quickly and pulled her close by the waist to look deep into her dark eyes. “Make a sound, darling… and I end you. Understand?” The woman nodded in fear, “Splendid.” Void praised. He then rose his gaze to see if anyone noticed their little exchange and to his surprise, most of them just shrugged it off. He looked back to her, “Your name?” 

“Kristalina.”

Both Void and Stiles rolled their eyes. “Alright, Kristalina… You’re helping me break out of this joint.” Void’s eyes snapped up to the balcony he came from, narrowing upon noticing the guards whispering to each other and their eyes scanning for what he believed to be him. “My, my… He’s awake. That was certainly fast.” He mused, noticing the guard he took down earlier.  
Kristalina’s eyes widened at him, “Who are you? Why do you have my friend’s cloak?”

Void turned back to smirk at her, “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.” He turned her, pulled the hoodie further down his face and hunched over, while draping an arm over her shoulder. “Role play time. I’m a friend and I am sick. You will rush me to the door and out and I will handle the rest. Make any sudden movements or signal anyone to a ruse and I will snap your neck in a second.” He tightened his arm just tight enough to startle a hitch out of her. The woman nodded and off they went. 

Void slumped and made groaning sounds, clutching his stomach with his free arm. They crossed the room, keeping to the walls, barely anybody spared them a glance but those that did and asked what was wrong with ‘Atticus’, Kristalina brushed them off, saying he drank too much. Void snorted mentally, knowing now why it had been so easy to subdue the man. He must have been drunk. 

The closer they got to the door; the more Void noticed how people’s eyes followed them. He narrowed his eyes at the woman by his side, looking for any signs of betrayal. But all he saw was the nervousness in her eyes, he almost snorted… wasn’t she supposed to be a wraith? She could have easily fought him of… Unless—

“Close the doors!” A guard yelled from up in the balcony. “Now!” 

Void grit his teeth… so damn close! “Stop. Don’t make a sound.” He hissed to Kristalina. The woman stopped suddenly, almost making Void lose his footing, and went absolutely rigid. Void scanned the area around the doors… there were only two guards closing the doors, they didn’t look much. A smirk appeared on his pale features. “We keep heading for the doors.” 

Kristalina’s eyes widened, “But… The guards are—” 

“ _Snap, crackle, pop goes your neck~_ ” Void sang, tightening his arm again, this time with enough pressure to cut off the woman’s air circulation. “Or… you know, I could just asphyxiate you if you’d prefer—” 

“ _Okay!_ ” The woman choked out, patting Void’s arm. He loosened his grip with a smirk, to which he received a glare. “You know, I can’t exactly help you if you kill me.” She tried it… she really tried it.

Void snorted, “You’re expandable, darling. I didn’t get this far by being stupid. Now put on your acting pants and tell them you have to rush me out.” 

Kristalina pursed he lips and took a deep breath to stop the outburst that would surely get her killed. Never in her life has she been treated like this. Dragging her captor forward, she put on her best distressed face. “No, wait! My friend is sick, please allow us to pass.” 

“Nobody leaves! The castle is under lockdown!” The guard from before ordered. 

“Why not?! We are not prisoners!” Someone from the crowd yelled. 

“What is the meaning of this?!” Another yelled. 

Void turned back to the guards keeping the door. Placing a hand on his stomach, he faked a gag and dry heaved, leaning heavier against Kristalina. The woman took the sign, “Please! You wouldn’t want to clean up his vomit, would you? He needs fresh air and rest! I only wish to take him home!” And Void decided then that he wouldn’t kill her, if nothing than for her acting skills. 

“Kristalina?!” A voice called from the crowd. They turned to the sound, Void still keeping his head low and hidden under the hood, and there stood Atticus, confusion written all over his face. His eyes widened at the sight of his friend with a figure hidden by… his cloak! “Lina! Get away from that man!” He yelled, causing several heads to turn to them. 

Void sighed and chuckled “Oh well, I suppose the cat’s outta the bag…” He straightened and removed his arm from around the female wraith -to which she wasted no time escaping to her friend’s side— and slowly raised his head to meet the guards’ eyes with a dark look and an equally dark smirk. “Or well… the _cloak_ in my case.” He tilted his head to the side menacingly when their eyes widened, “You’re in my way.”

The poor guards barely had time to breathe in before Void rushed forward. With speed that left the crowd baffled, he thrust his arm out, his hand coming into contact with the first guard’s face, pushing his head back into the door where it made a loud cracking sound as it made contact. He took satisfaction in knowing the sound was from the man’s skull. As he slumped down slowly, Void swiftly confiscated his wooden spear and spun gracefully, swinging it at the second guard as he rushed forward. Their spears clashed head on and they stood there for a moment, Void smirking and the guard glaring. 

“Aww, look at you all _menacing_ and _angry_ … Wanna join your friend over there?” Void asked cocking his head to the guard on the ground. 

A new group of guards came rushing through the crowd, surrounding the two, “My Lord! Stop! You can’t escape, we have you surrounded!” 

Void’s mood soured fast, his smirk disappearing. His eyes flared a bright purple as he growled and pushed against his opponent. A dark smoke wave flared from his persons and blew out all the guards around him, knocking them off their feet, along with some of the nearby guests. 

He heard collective gasps as the spark he’s only used twice or thrice once before sizzled under his skin, smirking down at the purple veins growing under the skin of his arms, Void flexed his fist a few times, “That will _never_ get old.” He turned to the door and slashed against it with his spear but the weapon came into contact with an invisible barrier. Trying again, Void noticed the background echo behind his attack, he raised a brow in confused intrigue “Wards?” 

A slow, mocking and condescending clap rang through the quieted hall. Void turned his head to the side, not bothering to turn fully to the man he knew had to be behind his inability to escape. Sure enough, the crowd parted to reveal Sebastian walking down the grand stairs, his hands still clasped together from his clap. 

Sebastian chuckled, “Impressive… I was hoping we’d meet under different circumstance but I’ll take what I can get.” Void turned to the side to see the man walking through the parted crowd – hands now clasped behind his back – to get to him, “I must say, I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment. After all… _You_ are the one I’ve always wanted.” 

The now Dark Spark turned fully to glare at the man in front of him. His glare then melted into a cunning smirk, “Is that right?” He raised the spear with one arm to point the sharp head at Sebastian’s throat, the Wraith King barely flinched, which Void expected. Fear wasn’t what he was going for… oh no… it was a promise of the future, “Or maybe you just think my resolve will be weaker than Stiles’? You can’t have him so you go for the next best thing? Or the _better_ version if you ask me.” His smirk never left him.

Sebastian tilted his head to the side ever so slightly, regarding the man in front of him with a soft expression. “On the contrary… I took Stiles because I wanted _you._ ” Void’s eyes widened a very small fraction that would have been missed but under the piercing green eyes of the wraith before him… the action was witnessed, even as it lasted for a fraction of a second. 

“Is that right?” Void raised a brow.

Sebastian nodded and placed his right hand over his chest where his heart – if he even has one – lay and gave a slight bow, careful not to press the cold and sharp tip of the spear further into his throat.

“It is an honor and quite a pleasure to officially meet you… Void.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooh OmInOuS~~~~ Did you like it? I hope you did.  
> Comments are always appreciated and loved...  
> Sorry for mistakes and errors.
> 
> Thank you for reading!  
> Love to hear from you, and I will see you in the next chapter!  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and John have a heart to heart, John finds out the secret his wife has been keeping and Peter's pack makes it to the Stilinski household. Lydia reveals yet another problem on their hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blah blah blah...  
> Onward.

**Beacon Hills  
Stilinski Household**

After an hour or so of quiet, the twins finally fell asleep in Peter’s arms. The other adults in the house hadn’t joined him since he left upstairs so it was very quiet in the living room. The Alpha didn’t bother moving from the couch, he just sat there staring down at them with a keen expression. He wondered what good he did to deserve them but then he remembered that he loved Stiles. 

He might have done a lot of wrong in the world but maybe Santa’s mantra really is true… Maybe one good deed will get you off his naughty list. But Peter knew his place on the naughty list was written with a Sharpie, he would have to save the world from an apocalypse to wipe that off. 

But these two precious beings in his arms… They made him wonder if his redemption wasn’t as unforeseeable after all. His ears twitched in attention to the quiet footsteps coming downstairs, though he didn’t bother looking up, not even as he scented the Sheriff.

John took a seat across them and stared at the man who is supposedly – according to werewolf DNA testing methods, also known as noses and creepy supernatural pack and parental bonds – the other father of his grandchildren. What had Stiles been thinking? Couldn’t he have went for someone closer to his age? Even Derek would have done! Isaac was the smart one, as far as John was concerned. John knew his son was at least bi-sexual so the fact that he was with a man surprised him not, however, why Peter freaking Hale?!

He sighed… he really did not know how to feel about this. He already disliked the Hales for their bad records but after knowing Derek and all the man has done for his son, he’s come to like him, but his uncle was another matter. Is this why Stiles didn’t want to tell him who the father was? Because he knew how his father would feel? Idiotic, really, because John has always prided himself in trusting his son’s judgement even better than his own… However, the picture before him made him question the fact. 

Right, John has to deal, he supposed, especially now that he has a son to find. But he only had one question for the man, one very confusing fact that makes him question exactly how the man was sitting right there. “What did you do to Stiles?” 

Peter went rigid then, before relaxing a moment later and raising his nose from its place buried in Claudie’s hair. He raised his eyes to John slowly, his brows twitching towards each other, “What did he say I did?” All Peter did was leave, really and… well, the other very important and cruel thing—

“Oh, nothing. He just said you were _dead,_ which is weird because, well… _here you are_.” John glared. “So, again, what did you do to my son?” 

Peter sighed, running his thumb over Petra’s tiny toes absentmindedly, an action that John noticed that made his anger dissipate just a little bit. “I… Okay, long story short, I did die… Or at least I _thought_ I did but…” Peter trailed off, trying to remember as much as he could about the night he almost died, well, died for good. “I woke up in a car with my niece. She saved me.”

John scowled, “And then?” 

“We left. She told me she told everyone here that I was dead.” The corner of Peter’s lips twitched humorlessly, “At first I wanted to come back… For Stiles.” 

“So why didn’t you? Why did you leave my son to grieve?” 

Peter looked down at his children again, “You know… I’d told Stiles so many times how bad this place is for him? How I wanted him gone… That Beacon Hills did not deserve his light.” He smiled down at Petra when the little wolf whined a bit in her sleep, prompting her brother to do the same. “I asked him to leave, so many times it was becoming song. But he never listened,” His expression turned to a scowl, “It wasn’t until a week or so before my supposed death that I figured out why he was so attached to this place.” 

John stared at him for a moment before finding his voice, “Why?” He marveled at Peter because the man was telling him that he too had attempted to do the same thing for his son that he had. They both tried to free Stiles from the nightmare that is his hometown. John always wanted Stiles to leave after high school. To go to college very far away from Beacon County, but his son stayed for a full three years after the fact. If Peter saw the damage done by this town on his son as he did… John is confident that he now knows the first reason why his son fell in love with him. He sees him… Peter _sees_ Stiles. 

The only thing that hurts John about the fact is that clearly, Peter saw his son long before he himself did. Peter knew his son for only so long and he noticed all of this when he was too busy drowning himself in alcohol and saving the rest of the town. He was better, he became better after the whole Julia situation and finding out about the supernatural world… But he’s still ashamed that it took finding out what Stiles is involved in to truly be there for his son.

Peter stared at John as the man’s eyes flickered this way and that, a sign of deep thinking. He waited for John to bring his attention back to him before answering with a simple “You.” 

John’s eyes widened. Alright, so he won’t lie and say he never knew the reason, but it still hurt to hear that his son suffered for him. He sighed, “I know. I’ve known for a very long time and that’s where the guilt comes in.” 

Peter nodded, “I get it. But you are very lucky to have him. We all are. And the sacrifices he makes, are just as much for us as they are for him.” He offered the man a smile, “You were the only family Stiles had left. He couldn’t leave you here and he could see how much your job and the place where you started your family meant to you, so asking you to leave was not an option.” 

John wanted to say he would have left for his son but it would be a lie. Now he would leave in a heartbeat but back then… He couldn’t let go of Claudia’s memory.

Derek and Isaac came rushing down the stairs quickly, barely pausing to explain as they headed for the door. While Peter merely paused to follow them with his eyes, John stood to follow, “What’s going on?” he asked. 

“It’s Lydia, she called, something is wrong.” Isaac answered, already heading out the door.

Derek looked back “Her line went dead before she could tell us what happened. Isaac and I are going over there, you stay here and Peter…” He looked to his uncle.

Peter raised a hand to silence him, “Go, I’ll handle things over here.” Derek nodded and headed out. Peter turned to John, “Sorry, Sheriff, I suppose the story of my third death will have to wait for now—” 

“Wait, what?” 

“I need a phone.” Peter said, then he looked down to mutter to himself, “How have they not noticed that I’ve left yet?” 

John frowned in frustration, “Hey, Hale. What are you talking about? Who’s they?”

“I need to call my pack,” Peter explained, looking at the window. It could be an hour or so before sunrise, which means they only have so long before it’s time. He stood, careful not to jostle the twins awake as he did so, “If they haven’t already, they’ll be out looking for me soon. I need them to know where I am and…” He paused to look at John over his shoulder, “We’re gonna need their help for what’s coming.” He didn’t wait for a response before continuing up the stairs to put the kids to bed.

**~~***~~**

_“You absolute asshole! We’ve been worried sick about you!”_

Peter sighed, at this point all he could do was stand there and listen as the woman yelled at him. 

_“Why did you leave your phone?! Do you have any idea how worried sick we’ve been! This is Beacon Hills for Christ sake! You don’t just disappear without telling people where the hell you’re—What? No, you can’t talk to him, I’m busy scolding him right now—”_

“Jesus, Cora, get those two idiots to the Stilinski household as soon as you can,” Peter paused to sigh, “A lot has happened, I’ll explain everything when you get here.” He hung up then, knowing that his niece had heard him. He heard a thump up in the attic, a tell-tale sign of the Sheriff’s location. He had been wondering where he went when he came back downstairs to find him gone. 

A moment later, another thump sounded, this one like a person falling. Instinctively, he rushed up to the attic as quickly as he could. “John! Everything alright?” He called out, going up the stairs when he was met with silence. His head poked up into the spacious attic to spot John sitting on the dusty floor with a book and a pendant clutched in his hands. He looked to be broken, in shock and betrayed. 

“Why didn’t she tell me?” John whispered softly. Of course, he needn’t have spoken any louder to a werewolf. 

Peter walked up the rest of stairs to enter the room, his eyes scanning the many objects scattered around, clearly coming from the open trunk that John was slumped against. Smart man, Peter, he made the connections. “You found her diary.” 

John nodded numbly, “I thought about what you said earlier, about Stiles’ spark…” Peter nodded. Looking back down at the diary in his hands, John sighed again and handed it over to Peter, “You were right… He got it from her.” He mumbled lowly, “Claudia was a Spark… Her entire family line was, or is.” He shrugged. Peter took it slowly and started skimming the contents while John fingered the pendant in his hands. “This entire trunk is filled with secrets that she kept from me. It’s been here all this time and I couldn’t open it when she was alive. After she died, I avoided it like the plague, like I did with anything that would abuse me with a memory of her. Apart from the picture of her and Stiles and of our family, I didn’t touch anything of hers. I locked it up here… Until today.” 

Peter understood. He also understood why John could only open the trunk now, “She must have had wards on it… Wards burn out a few months after their castor passes.” And it’s been years since John’s wife died. Peter couldn’t even smell the ozone in the air. No magic was used in this room in a really long time. 

John frowned, “All these years she’s been lying to me.” 

“To protect you.” 

“Lying to someone is _not_ protecting them!” John snapped. “This is my son! And she didn’t tell me that he was a Spark! She didn’t tell me what she did to him, I had a right to know!” 

Peter frowned, “What do you mean what she did to him?” 

John gestured to the diary roughly, “She said she took 'it' away… That it was the only way to protect him from his destiny. I can only assume that she meant his spark.”

Peter’s eyes widened as they traveled slowly back down to the book in his hands. And indeed, the page John had been reading was at the beginning of the diary. Very soon after Stiles’ birth. He scanned the contents until he came to the sentence John was speaking of. 

_"I know my little boy will one day come to hate me for this crime I have committed against him, but it is the only way I know to protect him from his dreadful destiny. I’m sorry, my beautiful Mieczyslaw, but you won’t miss something you’ve never had. I had to take it away to save you… I hope you will at least understand."_

Paging quickly and scanning the contents, Peter forgot how to breathe… She was right… The bloody Oracle was right. Proving his worries in furious scribbling were the words of Claudia Stilinski herself glaring at him in confirmation.

_"...I will not let them have my child. He will not be their savior."_

“Hale,” John called, seeing the distressed look on the man’s features. The more Peter paged through his wife’s diary, the more frantic he became which worried John, if nothing than for the man’s sanity. “Peter!” He clapped a hand on the man’s shoulder, surprised at the huge jump the man gave. 

Peter looked at John with shock before his features slipped back into a stoic scowl. He stood and offered a hand to John, only slightly surprised when the man accepted, and pulled him to his feet. His frown deepened. “I—” He stopped and tilted his head to the open attic trapdoor, then he turned back to John. “My pack is here.” Without waiting for a response, he headed down, knowing John would follow.

**~~***~~**

John opened the door at Peter’s signal just as Cora raised a fist to knock. The Sheriff froze, seeing the two people behind Cora. Okay… So, John was absolutely certain of only two things in life: one, The supernatural confuse the crap out of him and he will never get used to any of it and; two, if people are declared dead, usually they _stay that way_! 

The blonde girl… no, woman, smiled and gave a shy small wave, the large man next to her doing the same. “Hi, Sheriff.” She said quietly. 

“Oh my god… Erica? Boyd?” Everybody turned to find Derek, Isaac and Lydia frozen at the end of the driveway, all looking a second away from passing out, with Lydia’s eyes already watering. She took in a shaky breath, “You—you’re... We thought you were...” Lydia breathed out, barely standing, even with Isaac holding her up. 

Erica and Boyd shared a look before looking back at Peter for help. Their Alpha watched the interaction very distractedly, his eyes were on the sky. Flashing his wolf eyes, Peter slid his gaze across the sky until his sight landed on the red tint of an impending sunrise… it was pinker than the usual orange and much brighter. But of course, normal humans would not see it. 

The conversation, or argument happening before him turned rather foggy, like he was under water. His brain was working on overdrive. With the sun’s position, he was pretty sure that the eclipse or blood moon was only about three to four hours away and with the speed the sun was moving at, it could easily last from 30 minutes to an hour. 

“Lydia, I—” Peter’s attention was brought to his blonde beta, “Wait, what the hell happened to you? You look a hot mess.” Erica commented. 

And she did, Lydia looked the most shriveled they’ve seen her and she was wearing an oversized t-shirt with long sleeping tights and her coat. Her hair was up in a messy bun that looked messier than it should be, like she was in a fight.

John’s worry shifted to the girl, now noticing how she had her arm around her middle and how she was slouched against Isaac. His brows furrowed in confusion, “Lydia—” 

“I’m fine, Mr S… Or, I will be.” Her voice was very small and she wasn’t looking at him. That’s when the next thing wrong with this picture clicked in John’s brain. 

“Where...” He looked at the car “Where’s Kira?”

Bingo, the flinch that Lydia gave was answer enough. The strawberry blonde bit her trembling lip, “They took her,” She sobbed quietly, “The wraiths took Kira.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will the cliffies ever end?  
> No, other Nixie, they most certainly will not XD
> 
> Hoped you enjoyed this... From the next chapter, onward, things will get heavy... super heavy for some of you. But you can take it!   
> Sorry for any mistakes and errors.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Appreciate you!  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We go over to the Wraith Realm where... Phew, chile! A lot happens, okay? Can you say "plot twist"? Just go on and read it, find out for yourself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **HEY YOU! READ THIS PLEASE: Soooo, last chapter for today and I wanted to announce that I will be writing my last exam this upcoming week and I will then be absolutely free to upload the rest of the chapters. Now the question is: How often do you want them? A chapter each day? Or every other day? Like twice or thrice a week? I'll most likely put them up whenever I feel like it so you might have them every day or not... But I'd like to know what you think, as this is your story now. Let me know!**
> 
> Enjoy!  
>  Onward!

**Wraith Realm**

Void stared at the man, reading him for everything he could get. “So, let me get this right… You kidnapped my lesser half in hopes of meeting me?” 

Sebastian straightened, again, careful not to get cut up again, “Of course, your reputation precedes you.” 

Void narrowed his eyes, “Cute. But I don’t have much of a reputation past the destruction of the idiotic Demon Fox who sought to replace me… On that note, you don’t want to be like him, so I suggest you call up your precious _Darach_ and tell him to lower his wards and I’ll _consider_ ,” He pressed the tip closer to Sebastian’s throat. "Letting you live" He then tilted his head to narrow his eyes at Sebastian "I have a life to get back to."

The Wraith King merely smirked, “To what? A life where Stiles takes credit for your incredible work? You do know the only reason they all fear the little Spark is because of you… You have instilled fear in the hearts of the supernatural and you make Stiles the strong Spark he is—” He choked when Void moved the spearhead from his throat to his eye with a tight smirk.

“You’re trying to manipulate me,” Void’s smirk turned to a scowl with his top lip pulled back in a snarl, “It’s quite annoying.”

Sebastian smirked, “But is it not true? Are you not going to be pushed into the cage within Stiles’ mind indefinitely after you save him from this world and get him back to his family? Does he not hide you— his strongest weapon—like a dirty secret? Is he not _ashamed_ of you?” 

The Dark Spark’s eyes narrowed. What he didn’t tell the Wraith before him was that his manipulative ways are only annoying because his words rang true. This was the first time Stiles has let him out in four years. The last time was before he gave birth, to protect himself from the rogue Alpha that Derek killed for him, and that was the day he gave birth and the last time Void saw the light of day. 

Stiles saw him as nothing more than a weapon and while Void hoped to someday be seen as Stiles’ equal, he knew he never will be, because according to everybody, he was just the remnants of that _damn Nogitsune._ If only they knew… Well, wasn’t it time they did?

Void smirked. Well, if Stiles refused to give him the freedom he deserved, he would just have to take it. He dropped the spear from Sebastian’s face and offered the man a small dark smile, “Alright... You win… Now give me a moment to take care of a little _problem._ ” He turned to stare his reflection on the shiny golden doors, chuckling a bit when Stiles glared back at him.

_‘Void… You know I’ll obliterate you if you even try.’_ Stiles growled telepathically, his lips pursed tightly and a deep scowl set on his features.

Void smirked at his reflection, “Will you now? Let’s see about that shall we? It’s been _long_ overdue after all.” He laughed when Stiles growled. “Let’s have a little _chat,_ Stiles.” 

Several gasps echoed through the room when Stiles’ body started dropping like deadweight. Gliding to him elegantly, Sebastian caught the body before it hit the ground, picking him up bridal style and standing straight to face the crowd and his waking guards. Slinking back into the corner of the room, where deep shadows lay behind a pillar, Sebastian reappeared at the top of the stairs across the room, looking down at the crowd of still baffled people and even more confused guards. 

“Friends! I apologize for the theatrics, I’m afraid my betrothed is still adjusting to his new world.” He spoke loud enough to reach the whole crowd to hear, “Please, I implore you to disregard this incident and resume the festivities while I attend to him. I assure you; proper introductions will be made as soon as he awakens before the ceremony.” With a nod to his guard, he turned and positively floated up the stairs and off to his chambers. 

At the top of the balcony, Caspian and Remington shared worried glances… This was not how they planned letting Stiles know the truth would go. Remi looked at his brother with worry, “What do we do now? He won’t let him out of his sights until the ceremony.” He hissed. 

Caspian’s eyes shifted to and fro in thought. He could try stealing Stiles but with the appearance of Void, that wouldn’t be wise. If Stiles awoke as Void with no way of returning back to his good self, convincing him of an escape would be an exercise in futility. Stiles doesn’t know them enough to trust them, there is no chance that either he or Remi could get through to him if Void wins. 

“Caspian!” Nikolai came running to them, his usual grin missing. Caspian and Remi turned to him, he paused, wondering if he should talk in the presence of his beau. 

“What is it, Nikolai?” Caspian asked impatiently. He wasn’t annoyed with the man… Okay, maybe he was, Nikolai was after all courting his brother and has been months before his knowledge, he was still peeved about the fact. “Speak.” 

Nikolai visibly swallowed, “We have the Kitsune.” 

Caspian’s eyes widened. How? How was she not protected? Last he knew she was under Stiles’ protection along with the Banshee, according to the last deployed group. “And the Banshee?” He asked, she was priority, she was the one they needed as the final piece and the most important, apart from Stiles himself. 

“The wolves got there before we could take her…” Nikolai frowned, “They have an Alpha,” He removed his hood to show a large gash across the side of his neck.

Remi gasped and walked to his side in a single long stride, inspecting his wound, “What? How was he able to do this, I thought they couldn’t touch you!” 

“The Foxfire affects us somehow.” Nikolai sighed and put his hoodie back on, “After the Kitsune weakened us the Alpha was quick to attack… We lost two guards.” Both Caspian and Remington knew that it was temporary, wraiths didn't die, not permanently. That was their punishment, an eternity of endless darkness. The guards would be back soon enough.

Something clicked in Caspian’s brain just then, “But the Banshee is still on Earth?” 

Nikolai frowned “Yes, the wolves stowed her away to the Spark’s protected territory, but as I said, we were able to secure the Foxfire… Why?”

“Wait, what is the Foxfire?” Remi asked with a confused frown, “And have I heard the term before.” 

His brother nodded, “They are our cousins… Or more accurately, Lord Stiles’.” He really didn’t mean to answer, but he was thinking hard, “Where is the Kitsune?” He asked Nikolai. 

“She is to be placed with the others.” 

Caspian nodded slowly, he had to act quickly. He pinned Nikolai with a piercing gaze “Do you love my brother?” 

The man choked. “Brother!” Remi growled, “I don’t think now is the time!”

“Quiet, Remington. Nikolai?” 

The man in question frowned, “Of course, I do. You know this.” 

“Enough to choose him over your title?” 

“I— wait, what?”

Caspian got up in his personal space, “ _Do. You. Love. My. Brother._ Enough to renounce your title as a Royal Guard?” 

Nikolai snarled, “If you’re asking if Remington is more important to me than Sebastian, then yes. I would renounce him for your brother. Again, I love him, he comes first in everything. Now what are you truly asking me, your Highness?” 

Caspian narrowed his eyes and took a step back, “You do realize that Sebastian is not doing any of this to free our people but to take over the Earthen Realm?”

Nikolai’s eyes widened, then he looked to Remi, “Is that why you were saddened by my playing part in capturing the ingredients?” 

"Dont call them that!" Remi hissed with a glare before it melted into a sad expression, “And yes, i was upset about you capturing the Werewolf and now the Fox Spirit… Sebastian will kill them, Niko. He will kill them because he wants more _power_.” Honestly, he had no idea what his beau thought would happen to them. A child could deduce their demise.

“And the Spark…” 

“Is a direct descendant of Queen Aurelia.” Caspian answered calmly.

Nikolai gaped and then glared, “Then he must die!” 

Remi grasped his shoulders “Nikolai! The stories Sebastian has told are by _no means_ true!” He quieted and released him when two guards walked by and then continued quietly once they’d passed, “Why do you think Stiles was on Earth? Queen Aurelia did not curse us, I would know, I was there…" His voice cracked, "Have you never wondered why I’ve been forbidden from leaving the palace and why Caspian, while a royal guard, is not allowed the maximum freedom that the rest of the guard shares?” 

“Because you’re royalty. And Caspian holds higher position as Sebastian’s General and the King’s adviser and Hand.” 

“We are his _prisoners._ ” Caspian said simply. “Have been since I was a small child and Remington an infant." His brother only remembered because their kind did not lose memories of infancy, they remember everything from the moment of birth to their last second. "We are survivors of the war and it was no war started by Queen Aurelia. In fact, she _saved_ us, _begged and negotiated_ for our lives.”

Nikolai’s eyes were wide as saucers “I—” 

“Niko…” Remi waited for the man to meet his eyes, “Would I lie to you?” 

He wanted to believe they were wrong, but the thought of Remington as Sebastian’s prisoner sent his skin crawling with anger. He had seen the weird interactions and stiffness Remi acquired whenever they were in the presence of Sebastian, he never thought anything of it before. But Remi and Caspian always referred to Sebastian formally and regarded him in the same manner as the rest of them did, he thought it was way to show respect but maybe it has been fear this entire time.

And there was that one-time Remington became extremely frightened about leaving the palace, even for a single night… “That night, were you afraid he would find out? When I wanted to take you to the gardens. Is that why you refused to leave?” 

Remington offered him a sad smile, his eyes watering, “It isn’t that I was refusing to leave with you. If I could, I would have a long time ago.” His voice was barely above a whisper. 

“Remington and I cannot leave.” Caspian filled in, “This palace is our prison. There is a spell cast on all the exists… we leave, we die.” He scanned their surrounding for anyone who might be listening.

“But… why?” 

“Because we are a threat to his rule.” Remi answered, “He fears that if we leave, we might awaken this world to the truth and gather sympathizers for a rebellion. Especially since they believe that we willingly handed the throne to him.”

“And why haven’t you already?” 

Caspian and Remi blinked, “What?” The asked in unison. 

Nikolai grabbed Remi’s hand, “You should have told me. You might not be able to leave the palace but _I_ can… By the stars, Remi! Why didn’t you tell me?! All this time you’ve been suffering…” He placed a hand on Remi’s cheek, hurting that his love has been hurting and he was blind to it. “If you’d asked it of me, I would have renounced him long ago. I will not stand with a man who has imprisoned you! You are my priority, Remington, how could you ever doubt that?” It hurt his feelings really. They’ve been together for several years and still Remi did not trust him.

Remi gaped in shock. He had expected more resilience than that. He had expected Nikolai to shout high treason and have them arrested but… he was disappointed in himself for even thinking it. How could he ever doubt Nikolai’s love for him? Overcome with emotions, he slipped his arms around Nikolai’s waist, clutched the back of his cloak and buried his face in his neck. 

“I’m sorry… I should have trusted you but I was afraid of what you might think.” He sobbed. Nikolai only hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around him. He wouldn’t say he was happy but he did understand.

Caspian sighed, “I take partial fault in that. I absolutely forbade Remington from ever speaking of this… However, given your obvious affection for my brother, _Nikolai,_ ” He said his name louder, calling his undivided attention, “If you _betray_ him and by extension, _us..._ I _will_ end you. I may be Sebastian’s prisoner but I am by no means incapable of mass and brutal homicide.” 

Not that Nikolai needed the threat but it served as a motivational factor and made him more confident in his next words. “Never.” He tightened his hold on Remi, “Now, I assume you have a plan to stop Sebastian?” 

Remi raised his head to stare at his brother too. Caspian nodded, “Remington, brief him on the rest. Nikolai, meet me at the dungeons in a half hour.” He headed off to where he knew he would find Sebastian.

“Wait, where are _you_ going?” Remi asked his brother.

Caspian didn't look back as he responded, “To create an alibi and find out what happened to Lord Stiles.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yessir! At this rate you will have the rest of the story by the end of November, which I'm really excited about! Sorry for mistakes and errors, not a single one of them is intentional... except where it's purposefully intentional, hehe!
> 
> Let me know your thoughts in the comment section down below and I will see you at the end of the week!  
> Love ya and TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dark hour has come... Stiles awakens... but is he himself?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOOD NEWS! I'm done with exams and as requested by two of my regular readers, I will be updating a chapter(+) every day (unless otherwise forewarned) until the story is over! Yaay! \\(^_^)/
> 
> Soooo! It all starts today/night!  
> Hope you enjoy this chapter! Lets get to it!  
> Onward!

**Wraith Realm**

Sebastian set Stiles on the bed and walked across the room to pour himself a drink, then he sat down on the plush couch facing the bed where he could stare at the beautiful Spark, he has procured himself. He smirked, this moment has been a long time coming and now that they were only several hours from completing his lifetime achievement. Poor pathetic Aurelia, all her efforts and only for her descendant to assist in his dominion. 

“I’ll bet you didn’t see this coming, did you, _Aunt_?” He mumbled to himself, “Not only have I defeated you, stolen your kingdom, turned your subjects against you… But I am mere hours away from turning your descendant into the very thing you hate the most—” 

“And what would that be?” A dark, yet familiar, voice asked from across the room. He looked up to find Stiles sitting up on the bed. “You know, talking to yourself is a rather terrible habit that some have argued, leads to insanity but… I’d say you’re already on that boat, yes?”

Sebastian stood and walked over to the bed, surprised to see that Stiles still had his eyes closed. “Stiles?” He asked warily, eyes narrowed. The Spark’s skin was pale but—

“Aww… And here I thought it was me you wanted.” Stiles’ deep and dark baritone voice came through but wait… It wasn’t Stiles… Sebastian watched as his skin turned grey and his lips turned from rosy pink to a bluish tint, then he opened his eyes and Sebastian has never seen a more beautiful sight. They were a very dark shade, at first glance black but then they caught the light and he saw that they are purple, and the pupils were as big as those of wraiths.

He smirked sexily and brushed Void's cheek with his knuckles, sitting on the bed facing him, “Well, hello there gorgeous.” 

Void smirked, “Flattery will get you nothing.” 

“Really?” Sebastian trailed his fingers from Void’s cheek to his neck, caressing his collarbone gently, “And here I thought I was merely being polite.” 

“You want me.” Void stated as a matter of fact.

“Terribly.” Sebastian returned simply. Then he stood suddenly, “But I’m afraid all of that will have to wait until the ceremony.” 

Void raised a brow at his retreating form, “About that… What is it exactly are you thinking you will be turning me into?” 

Sebastian paused, then chuckled and finished filling the second tumbler with bourbon. Then he returned to Void’s side. “You mean other than the most powerful being on the planet?” he raised a teasing brow.

“Sweetie, I don’t need you for that.” Void took the tumbler from him and took a slow sip, locking eyes with Sebastian over the rim of the glass, then he lowered the glass. “But it’s obvious you need me for something, so I suggest you spill or I kill you and dominate the world without you anyway.” He smiled sweetly. “I’d much rather have some company though!” 

Sebastian has never been more attracted to a person, “And here I thought I would have to convince you to be bad.” 

Void downed the rest of his drink, took Sebastian’s and downed it too, before crawling over to him to straddle his lap, wrapping his arms around the King’s shoulder’s and gazing down at him. Sebastian placed his hands-on Void’s waist, gripping tightly for purchase as his body heated with want, his eyes set on Void’s moist pale lips as the Spark spoke his next words. 

“I was born bad, handsome.” With that said, Void swooped down to devour Sebastian’s lips. There was nothing sweet about it. It was passionate, aggressive and indicative of pure unprecedented love and Sebastian returned it with equal fervor. 

They became a blur of black smoke before they solidified again with Void on his back and Sebastian over him, lips still attached and hands roaming. Sebastian’s hands ventured under Void’s shirt, hot and searching. Void bit his lip hard causing the wraith to hiss lowly and pull back. With swift and graceful motion, Void slipped out from under him and walked over to the table with the bottle of alcohol, pouring himself another glass. 

“So, what exactly does this ceremony of yours entail?” He asked, completely unaffected by the heated moment they just shared.

Sebastian chuckled and pulled himself together. Running a hand through his hair and taking a deep breath, his arousal took its sweet time to calm. He couldn’t believe he let a mere boy make a mess of him and leave him disheveled and bothered on his own bed of all places. Oh, yes… he would be the perfect consort for his rule. A knock sounded at the door before he could answer the Spark. He fixed himself and stood from the bed, running his hands over his perfect suit to straighten out the tiny wrinkles. 

“Enter.” 

The door opened to reveal Caspian, “Your Majesty… I hope I’m not interrupting.” As soon as he stepped into the room, he knew... Stiles had lost.

“Not at all, Caspian. What is it?” Sebastian asked patiently. 

“I was just informed that the Foxfire was secured.” 

“Huh, _Foxfire…_ ” Void hummed from across the room, then he turned to face the two men, “I don’t suppose Kira was very happy about being called that.” He chuckled into his glass, making eye contact with Caspian.

“My Lord.” Caspian greeted with a small head bow. “You look pale, are you alright?” Of course he wasn't alright.

Void merely offered him a smirk, but it was Sebastian who answered. “I’d say he’s _perfect._ Caspian, this is Void, Stiles’ better, more powerful half… And the one who will rule by my side.” 

Caspian’s eyes widened a fraction before he blinked quickly and gave another small bow to Void, “I see. A pleasure, my Lord.” Then he turned back to Sebastian, “Your Majesty, shall I see to the placement of the Foxfire and preparation for the ceremony?”  
Sebastian nodded, “Very well. My Druid shall assist you, do as he instructs and see that he has all he needs to complete the extractions.” 

Sebastian nodded and gave another bow, “Majesty,” He turned to Void, “My Lord.” 

Void smirked and gave a two fingered wave, watching the man walk out. After the door closed, he took a swig of his drink and set his glass down before turning to Sebastian with an amused smile. “He’s charming.” 

The Wraith King chuckled and walked over to pour himself a glass, deliberately leaning over Void and pressing his back against the liquor cabinet “Is he?” He frowned and pressed closer to Void, looking him dead in the eyes, “And I suppose you would prefer him to a _King_?” 

Void snorted, “Is that your paranoia shining through? Or are you merely being insecure?” Sebastian raised a brow at the jibe. Void chuckled “Are you going to tell me what this ceremony is or not?” 

Sebastian smirked, “Wouldn’t you rather it be a surprise?” he lowered his head to run his nose over Void’s neck, and then to place an open-mouthed kiss on his pulse, a little disappointed when it didn’t hitch or speed up. He raised his head to look into the Spark’s eyes only to be met with a rather bored expression. 

“I absolutely loath surprises. Now, if you’d like, I could venture off to find your so-called _'Druid'_. I’m sure he or she will be more than happy to explain since I’m assuming, they’ll will be the one to conduct the ceremony.” 

Sebastian sighed and stepped back, “Darach, actually. Druids are rather weak for this particular activity. And this one is rather familiar with your town and its workings. Including the placement of the Nemeton and he is very familiar with Stiles’ little band of menaces, including their weaknesses.” 

Void raised a brow, “Of course I know he’s a Darach, I'm no amateur. I also recognized that the energy surrounding the wards was familiar,” He tilted his act in a way that Sebastian could only classify as absolutely adorable even with the slightly menacing features, “Now pray tell how you manage to convince _Alan Deaton,_ of all former Druids, to come over to the dark side? Last I checked, he was Scott’s precious and loyal pet.” He also guessed that’s how they must have gotten Stiles’ favorite dish.

The Wraith King chuckled and dropped down on the couch, “That man is only ever loyal to himself. I offered him power and he was hungry for it. When I told him of my plans, he resisted initially but… He became useful in eventually.” 

Void raised a brow, “Elaborate.”

A dark chuckle rumbled from Sebastian’s chest, “You don’t really think that it was a mere coincidence that Miss ‘Jennifer Blake’” He air quoted, “Happened to steal your father and the only way to locate him was to use the Nemeton?... As if an ordinary Druid such as Deaton would know how to use an ancient tree of life and death to locate a mere human.” 

“Hn,” Void scoffed, “He knew. Deaton knew where my father was that entire time. Using the Nemeton was just a way to—”

“Awaken you and your Spark,” Sebastian took a drink, “Or rather to return it back to you… Of course, I knew Noshiko Yukimura had trapped the Nogitsune in there, we’d been watching her for a while as well. I had hoped it would latch itself onto the Argent girl but…” He threw his head back to look at Void, who raised an uninterested brow, “Having the demon choose you made you all the more desirable. I saw a side of you I thought I would have to create _in_ you. The darkness withing you, Void… Equally beautiful and magnificent.” He closed his eyes and hummed, “After that it was a waiting game. I couldn’t very well take you with the fox demon within you, so I had Deaton monitor your progress… Then… You disappeared for a very long while. Until I felt you back in Beacon Hills.”

“How did you know it was me?” Void asked. “How did you know _Stiles_ was the one you were looking for before the Nemeton and the Nogitsune?” 

“Deaton.” 

Void nodded, “I knew there was a reason I didn’t like him. Stiles did suspect him of being the feral Alpha first.” And then he'd went on and had children with the actual Alpha after killing him. Folly creatures humans.

Sebastian smirked, “Yes, well, he’s always been rather bright… Nevertheless, Deaton was rewarded after your return. He is now an all-powerful Darack with absolutely no limits and rules to the use of his power. Suffice it to say he’s requested me not to tell you he’s the one who executed my plans but… Well, nobody tells me what to do.”

Void rolled his eyes. “No, I suppose not…”

“Your sarcasm is a welcomed pleasure to these robotic figures surrounding me.” Sebastian hummed in appreciation. 

“Is that right?” Void smirked, “Then you’ll love _this:_ Caspian is planning a rebellion with his brother to disrupt your plans to conquer the Earth and he’s probably working a way to free the Fox and the Wolf right about now.” All this was said casually, as though he were commenting on the drapes. 

Sebastian opened his eyes to stare back at him, “While your humor is very much appreciated, treason is very serious allegation.” 

“And I would take great pleasure in knowing my humor is being given its dues if I were making a funny.” Void deadpanned. 

Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. “And how would you know that?” 

Void let out a confused sound with a tilt of his head “For someone who conquered an entire kingdom, you sure are daft…" Sebastian flashed his eyes in warning but Void was unfazed "You didn’t really think they wouldn’t tell me what you did and who you really are the first chance they got, did you?” 

Sebastian raised a brow, “They told you?” He asked casually, completely unbothered. 

“Showed me, more like… Or, well, _Stiles_ anyway.” Void smirked in amusement, “And after you tried so hard to paint yourself a saint. Your first mistake was charging me with Caspian… quite confident in yourself, aren’t you?” 

Sebastian chuckled and stood, buttoning up his suit jacket—Void took a moment to admire the gorgeous man, he couldn’t deny his redeeming attributes— and smirking when he saw the hungry look in Void’s eyes. “Because I already knew they would retaliate someday. I will admit to being a little surprised that they chose this particular moment to act… foolish.” He narrowed his eyes at Void, “And why pray tell, are you telling me this?” 

The Dark Spark tilted his head in and blinked slowly, an act of complete and utter boredom. Then he shrugged, “If he goes against you, he goes against me, yes? I saw in his eyes moments ago that the affection he held when regarding Stiles was gone after you introduced me as me and blah blah blah I am probably beyond saving,” Void snorted and turned to pour himself a drink again, “Let’s just say I want to prove him right.” 

He looked down when pale slender fingers slunk around his waist, Sebastian pressing his back against his chest and leaning his chin over Void’s left shoulder, “You, my darling, are jealous that they prefer Stiles over you.” 

Blinking slowly ahead, Void took a sip of his drink, “Unlike Stiles, I make no bones about my emotions, I thought that was implied.” 

He let out an amused sound, “Well… I suppose it’s time to remind them of their place then, hmm?” 

Void tipped back his drink, —swallowing it all in one gulp— slammed his glass back down and pushed away from the liquor cabinet, sliding out from under Sebastian and headed for the door. 

“Finally, something _fun_ to do around here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Feelings? Let me have it! Quite honestly, I was doing the whole "calm before the storm" thing again... Next chapter will go from 1 to 1000 real fast... I kid you not...  
>  **It's about to go down!**
> 
> Okay! Thanks for reading, see you tomorrow!  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh... Whoo! Just go on read it for yourself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **OKAY! OKAY! HEY! Hiiii.... you... How are you? Good, good, good. So after this chapter, try to remember that we're still friends okay? And try not to kill me? Promise you won't try to kill me?**
> 
> **Did you promise? I'm gonna trust you here, okay?**
> 
> M'kaaaaaay...  
>  Onward... Hehe.

**Wraith Realm**

Caspian made his way quickly to the dungeons. Upon arrival he noticed three things— One: There were more guards positioned at the doors than usual; two: There were more prisoners than he expected; and three: The prisoners were all growling at the dark-skinned man who seemed to regard them with a disturbing amount of familiarity.

For some odd reason the Hellhounds usually standing guard were absent, but Caspian counted that as a win. Still, he wondered where they went… beckoned back to their realm perhaps, they never did like staying in one place.

“Where are the dogs?” He asked one of the nearest guards.

The wraith shrugged “They were becoming violent, killed two guards. His Majesty banished them back to their world.”

Caspian raised a brow “And you failed to mention this to me because…?”

Several of the guards shared uncertain looks before pointedly avoiding his gaze, but he stared pointedly at the one before him. The wraith sputtered mutely before he responded. “Apologies your Highness, but his Majesty felt this was not something that required your attention as he gave the order himself.” The guard replied. 

“Hmm.” Caspian could have laughed… how foolish of Sebastian to assume to tame and house-train demon dogs. Of course, he voiced those concerns to the man but was ignored. He nodded to the guard and approached the man conversing with the prisoners.

“It won’t hurt, I promise. You won’t feel a thing.” The man’s voice was soothing and reassuring, Caspian could taste the malice behind it. He wondered what exactly Sebastian was offering a Druid—a servant of nature—to abandon his beliefs and his oath for the evil king. 

Caspian highly doubted the man was being forced to do anything, he seemed to comfortable, has been ever since he first came here many years ago. Throughout the years Caspian has met many Druids that would do work for Sebastian but this one… he seemed to be enjoying himself far too much. Perhaps that’s why Sebastian kept him hidden unlike the ones before him.

Allowing his eyes to take in the rest of the cells, Caspian noticed an Asian girl, an older man who growled with his red eyes at the Druid, scars running down the undersides of his eyes, a girl with blue eyes and another male with bright purple eyes. 

“How’s Scott? He doing well without me? I’d bet not, he’s always been quite incapable.” The Druid commented with a kind smile.

“Are these all the subjects for the ritual?” Caspian spoke up. The Druid turned to him with a smile. The wraith’s eyes narrowed; the man had a predator’s face… the kind face. He could lure you to your death and you would thank him for it. 

“Oh. Yes, General.” He stepped forward to offer Caspian a polite bow, “I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced… Alan Deaton.” 

Caspian gave him a curt nod and moved closer to the cages, inspecting each one of the captives. Each were chained to the walls at the back of the cages with gags over their mouths, the only signs of their anger being the thrashing, glowing eyes and snarling sounds. “Is this all of them? Apart from the Banshee, of course.” The Asian girl snarled, her eyes burning a bright orange. 

“Not quite… we still need the Hellhound.” 

Caspian tilted his head to look at Deaton over his shoulder “Hellhound?”

“The one walking on Earth. His kin will be useful for the war to come. Without him to beckon them to the other side and tame them, they can’t join his Majesty’s army.” Deaton smiled cryptically. 

The front door opened, revealing Nikolai, Caspian frowned, he was early but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. “My Lord, Caspian.” Nikolai gave a formal bow, “His Majesty requests council with the Druid.” 

Caspian knew by now that this man was no Druid… he could smell it on him, the darkness, but the other wraiths were still young, they knew no better. Nodding to Nikolai, he turned back to inspect the girl with angry orange eyes, he knew she was exactly the person he was looking for. “Very well. I’ll see to the transfer of the ingredients to the extraction room. Druid?” 

“Just keep her chained. The chains will keep their creatures sealed within them. The angrier they are, the better for extraction. Take the Alpha wolf and strap him face down on the table and I will be back as soon as I can for extraction. I also need the Chimera.” Deaton pulled out a syringe filled with white liquid and went over to hand it to Caspian, “Mistletoe and aconite, very useful against both of them. Should weaken them enough to ensure they won’t cause any trouble. Anywhere on the neck should do.” 

The dungeons became an echo of angry chains as the other captives thrashed and snarled at them. Caspian raised a brow at the creatures then turned to Deaton and gave him another curt nod, taking the syringe from him. Deaton left then, escorted by Nikolai, leaving Caspian staring at Kira who was staring right back with furrowed brows. The two guards waiting outside came in then. 

“My Lord Caspian, the extraction room is ready.” 

Caspian nodded. “The Foxfire,” He saw the eyes of most of the creatures widen, “Bring her out first.” He was surprised at the silence of the prisoners just then. Maybe the girl wasn’t much of a friend to them, but he knew she was familiar with Stiles… Even if they didn’t know that it goes beyond friendship. He watched patiently as the cloaked guards opened the steel door, roughly manhandled the chains holding the girl and used them to drag her out of the cage, throwing her at his feet. 

“Pathetic,” He snarled. 

The two guards laughed, “Isn’t she? It’s a good thing she’ll be dead in—” 

“Actually… I was talking about you.” Caspian cut in calmly. The guards raised their heads in confusion but didn’t get any words out as Caspian slashed the first one across the throat with a black crystal dagger, watching in satisfaction as he exploded in a puff of smoke. 

The second guard stumbled back, gaped and reached for his belt. Caspian threw his dagger at him, it cut through the air and embedded itself in his sternum. He let out a few gurgles and dropped to his knees before exploding like his comrade. Sighing, Caspian went over to pick up his dagger, placing it back in his cloak, then returning to Kira. 

He helped her stand and removed her gag, “What is your name?” 

Kira glared at him, “Why the hell do you wanna know?” 

Caspian sighed and undid her chains quickly, “Because I know you’re a Fox Spirit and a friend of Stiles’—” In a split second after having her chains removed, Kira had Caspian pressed against the wall with the sword that was on the table against his throat.

“Where is he? What did you do with Stiles?!” She snarled in his face. 

Caspian regarded her calmly, “You will find that _I_ am not your enemy here. If I were, would I have killed those guards?” 

Kira paused for a second and pushed back from him, still keeping the tip of the sword against his chest “Why did you then?” 

“Because I want to help and if you want that help, I suggest we move quickly before the rest of the guard are alerted of this incident. Two more guards will be here in five minutes.” 

Kira frowned and lowered the sword, “Where is Stiles?” 

Caspian took off his cloak and handed it to her “Wear this.” Then he made his way to the door to peek out, “I’m afraid he cannot be helped right now. Come, we need to leave.” 

Kira paused “What? What do you mean he can’t be helped? Also, no, I’m not leaving the others here.” 

Caspian growled, _What is it with humans and their savior complex?_ He thought irritably. He turned to her, “Right now we do not have the luxury of taking them with us, you are the most vital of the present company and therefore the one who must escape first, I will come back for them. Now, come.” He grabbed Kira’s arm and dragged her to the door and then out. Keeping to the shadows, he led her down deserted corridors. 

Kira followed quietly for a while before Speaking, “What happened to Stiles?” 

Caspian kept his speedy pace, pausing at every corner to scout and then signalling her to follow, “He has turned into his dark self.” 

Kira frowned, “What do you mean? Stiles doesn’t have a dark self.” 

“Are you familiar with Void?” The Kitsune’s eyes widened; she hasn’t heard that name in years. It can’t be… The Nogitsune was gone, _he_ was Void not Stiles. Caspian glanced at her before continuing, “Void is an alter ego that has been living within Stiles for a long time. He never left; Lord Stiles just had him locked away… until today.” 

Kira did not miss that “Lord Stiles” part but that was the least of her worries. “Why? Stiles is good, why would he—” 

“He was trying to escape but… unfortunately the evil King Sebastian manipulated him over to his side. Now he’s willingly staying.” 

Kira grabbed his arm to halt him, “Take me to him, maybe I can get him to—” 

“No. Sebastian will constantly be by his side now that he has what he’s always wanted. It isn’t Stiles he was after this whole time, it’s Void and he will do all in his power to keep him that way, including keeping an eye on him so my brother and I can’t turn him back to his good self…” Caspian paused and pushed Kira into an in-wall dark corner. A moment later several guards went rushing by, obviously in a hurry to get where they came from. “They know… Come, we must hurry.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her along. 

“Wait, I don’t understand. Why do you want to help?” 

“Because I am as much of a prisoner here as all the creatures in the dungeons.” Caspian answered simply.

Kira regarded him with uncertainty, not knowing what to make of him but so far, he hasn’t done anything that merits intense suspicion. “Okay, so you’re not taking me to Stiles, where are you taking me?” She asked, still not trusting the man. 

Caspian turned another corner and led her downstairs to a room full of statues. “There is a passage under the palace in the tombs that will lead you to the outside. Once out, travel east and find the Transporter, he isn’t far from the castle. Threaten him if you must, he will open a passage to Earth for you and—” 

“And then you can warn the others about how Stiles has turned into a bad boy and blah blah blah.” Caspian and Kira halted in their steps as Void stepped out from a corner ahead shaking his head in amusement before meeting Kira’s gaze. “Hiya, Kira~ Long time no see.” He sang. 

“Stiles,” Kira breathed. 

“Uh, no… Gosh, I thought you filled her in. You’re a terrible rescuer, is this your first time?” He asked Caspian. 

The Wraith merely glared at him, “How did you find us?” 

Void merely smirked, allowing Sebastian to appear from the same turn he came from, “Well, your brother was rather helpful in the matter, cousin.” The King smirked.

Caspian’s eyes widened before he snarled and took a step forward, sword out and battle stance ready, “What have you done to him?” 

“You mean apart from ruffling his peacock feathers?” Sebastian mocked. Caspian growled and took a step forward, Kira quickly catching his arm to stop him, drawing attention to herself “Oh… There you are little fox, you have my entire guard up in arms, all this fuss for little old you.” Sebastian drawled out condescendingly. Kira glared but bit back her words.

“If you hurt him—!” Caspian growled, but made no move towards the pair before them.

Sebastian blinked widely and placed a hand over his chest, feigning offence, “I am offended you think I would hurt family, Caspian… really.” He chuckled darkly “As I said, I merely ruffled his feathers, I am no monster.” Caspian had to scoff at that. 

“But _I_ am.” Void piped up with a grin, “Or at least I’d like to think I am, haven’t really done anything monster-esque in a while and I am itching for some of that action so I think it would be best if you both surrendered right now…” He took a deep breath, blinked slowly and smiled bashfully, “Or not, either way I’m fine with it.” 

Kira gaped and took a slow step forward. “What? Stiles what—” 

“Uh-uh, not Stiles, Kira, you should pay more attention to detail and then keep up.” Void smirked “Stiles is taking a… _nap;_ I’m playing driver now.” 

The Kitsune bit her lip with a frown, “Okay… Void… We’ve been looking for you—” 

“You’ve been looking for _Stiles_ Kira, don’t try to butter me up. You care nothing for me.”

Kira glared then, growing angry of Void’s tone and bored look, like he’d rather be anywhere else. “Why the hell are you here Void? Is it the Nogitsune? Is it back, is that why you’ve trapped Stiles again?” 

Void let out a sudden laugh that echoed through the torch lit underground passages. “You know, a lot has happened since you went to play samurai in that overgrown sandbox, but as I’m sure the others filled you in on the pretty bits, let me give you the nasty, hmm?” He leaned on the wall, crossing his arms and ankles casually, 

“Well, let’s start with the bit about the demon fox. For one thing, after he was extracted from this body, Stiles became depressed… not that he wasn’t before but, he became more aware and less ignorant of his depression, is what I mean…” His eyes narrowed as he stared at Kira, “The deeper he sank, the closer to me… It was the perfect time for him to realize that I wasn’t a child of the Nogitsune at all.” He paused dramatically, giving everyone a chance to adjust to the news and taking satisfaction in the widened eyes of Kira and Sebastian. 

“It was just before—” He paused, “Well, before he could _recover,_ I made a formal appearance and introduced myself as the little voice in his head that always made him think dark thoughts when he wouldn’t get his way. That little part of him that attracted the Nogitsune to him… It was time he knew that _I’d_ been with him _long_ before the Nogitsune…” 

Kira scoffed, “Really? You’re all that happy about being his alter-ego? Just a spare personality in his body? _Pathetic._ ” She smirked.

Void narrowed his eyes, “Kira, you _are_ familiar now with the fact that Stiles is an all-powerful Spark, yes?” he asked slowly, receiving a raised brow from the Kitsune, “Of course you are, the Scooby Doo gang probably already filled you in on that… What you _don’t_ know is that I am the one who makes him more so than every other ordinary Spark.” Kira’s eyes widened causing Void to smirk, “That’s right, hon. I am the tick in Stiles’ tock. Without me, he’s just a measly make mountain ash expand further than it would, Spark. But it was through me that he could claim his own place in the supernatural world and you dare call me a spare personality?” His eyes lit a bright purple. “You know _nothing_ of what you speak.” 

Kira held her resolve, her own eyes flashing a bright purple, “You’re wrong. Stiles doesn’t, never has and _never will_ need you to become great. You exist because he was born, without him, there is no _you,_ so tell me something Void… Would _you_ live if Stiles died?” 

“Would you like to find out?” Void asked slowly, blinking patiently at her.

Sebastian chuckled, “My, my, I think this is the most I’ve heard you say, darling—” 

“Don’t call me that.” Void snapped, his eyes still in a glaring match with Kira before he smirked and relaxed, eyes going dark again. He turned to Sebastian, “Another called Stiles that, I found it rather annoying.” 

“Ah… The Hale Wolf.” Sebastian hummed. 

“Stiles!” Kira yelled all of a sudden, eyes piercing into Void’s “I know you’re in there! Fight him! Fight Void and come home with me…” She bit her lip, “Come home to your family.” 

Void smirked, “You mean to his _children_?” Kira’s eyes widened flickering to Sebastian, she didn’t want the man to know about Stiles’ twins but from the unsurprised look on the man’s face, he must have already known. Her expression compelled laughter out of Void, “Foolish Fox, Kira, very foolish… Now, I will only say this once more, Stiles is not here, he is preoccupied, indefinitely if I have anything to say of it—which I do—. Now, again, why don’t the both of you turn around right now and march peacefully back to your cell and if you’re lucky, I’ll convince them to make the Foxfire extraction painless and I’ll keep _you_ alive Caspian. Sebastian here isn’t very happy with you.” 

“Why are you doing this?” Kira took another step forward, this time Caspian grabbing her wrist to keep her back, “Is it because you know we’ll never love you the way we do Stiles?” 

“Are you included in that equation?” Void raised a brow and tilted his head innocently, “Last I checked Kira, you knew Stiles for all of what, one year? And in that Year, you were obsessed with his then best friend, Scotty the True Alpha,” He announced in an annoying voice before letting out a laugh, “He’s going to die you know? Because spoiler alert! He’s not really a True Alpha.” He whispered conspicuously then let out a singular maniacal combination of a scoff and a gasp, 

“But you already knew that, didn’t you? You can sense it on him, he is not worthy... Fear not, after I take back what’s mine, his weak majesty won’t have much of a survival chance. I mean, how would he? With a stock of inhalers?” he laughed at his own joke, hearing a deep chuckle from Sebastian too. 

“Enough!” Caspian shouted. 

“Oh? Finally found your voice? I was beginning to think you mute all of a sudden.” Sebastian drawled. “Right then, this is getting rather boring, what say we all behave and do as we’re told, hmm?”

Kira nodded, “Good idea.” She cut her sword through the air and held it above her head in a fighting stance, “Get the hell out of my way.” 

Sebastian raised a brow, “Oh, sweetheart, no. I meant _you_ do as you’re told and surrender before—" Before he could finish, several shadow figures drifted from the shadows, some behind Kira and Caspian and others behind Void and Sebastian. “Right, before _that…_ Now, are we going to behave or are we going to have a repeat of what we did to Nikolai and young Remington?” 

Caspian’s answer was a grown before he attacked, charging towards them. The figures behind Void and Sebastian rushed forward, meeting him halfway while the ones behind them met Kira halfway. After that, it was a blur of movement with Kira and Caspian fighting against the shadows. In the middle of the fight, Caspian whipped out his crystal dagger, successfully managing to kill two of Sebastian’s personal Shadow Guards. The King stood straighter, wondering how he’d managed that without the—His eyes caught a glint of the shimmering dagger.

“Black crystal…” He whispered; his eyes wide with shock. He’d destroyed them all after he won the war, how did this pest have one right now? He gritted his teeth, pupils disappearing as his eyes glowed a bright green—pupils, irises and white— as his anger rose to a peak and green veins from the outer corners of his right eye, travelling up his temples, down his cheeks and over the arch of his eyebrows, disappearing halfway to his hairline. 

Void raised a brow at him before his eyes were drawn to the glow of Kira’s body, the Kitsune standing proud over her. She and the Fox thrust forward with the now Foxfire covered sword, imbedding it deeply withing the Shadow Guard’s throat, he or she let out an ugly shriek before bursting in a puff of smoke. 

Sebastian growled then and took a step forward, Void blinked and the King was across the wide passage, already dueling with Caspian, whom Void was impressed to see could hold up his own. He looked further ahead to see Kira jump high in the air, rotate and slash through another Shadow Guard, slicing through his neck before landing in a crouch. The guard also burst into a cloud of smoke. 

“Interesting.” He whispered to himself. More and more shadows appeared and Void got bored. Looking over to Caspian and Sebastian, he witnessed just in time Sebastian thrusting forward in a black blur and going right through Caspian. While the King himself went right through Caspian and the wall behind him, Caspian was thrust back, hitting the wall hard much harder than he would have had he been pushed by a solid figure. His eyes rolled back as he slid down the wall slowly, obviously injured. His eyes widened suddenly and he reached for his neck. 

Void raised a brow in confusion but received his answer when green eyes glowed behind the man’s shoulder and he was raised off the ground by an invisible force, pressed to the wall a few feet above ground as he began chocking. 

Void scoffed in disgust, “Fool… You can’t kill him, idiot, what do you think your loyal subjects will think of you if he died suddenly?” he deadpanned, not believing that the man was so foolish. “Best not to forget that you’ve already disposed of his brother. You’ll only raise red flags.”

Caspian dropped to the ground suddenly, taking a much-needed gulp of air and coughing. Sebastian appeared behind Void, fixing his jacket as if he hadn’t just turned into a shadow and choked the hell out of a person. “Any suggestions for his treachery then?” He asked like he was mocking Void, but he was genuinely curious as to what the Dark Spark would come up with.

Void looked over to the fight with Kira, she was backing up having lost her sword and there were too many Shadow Guards on her. Void stalked towards them “Enough.” He called calmly. The guards turned to him and stepped away from her and opened a passage for him to reach her. He stopped in front of her and shook his head sadly, “You really should have listened to me.” 

Kira’s wide orange eyes searched his own, “Sti—” She didn’t get to finish, gaping and clutching her chest as Void raised his hand to hover over the area. Void’s eyes—pupils— glowed a bright purple, along with every rune on his body, covering him in bright tattoos that were naked to the eye a few moments ago. He raised his head to stare at the tall bright orange fox growling at him above Kira, smirking to it, he turned his hand, rotating his wrist to bring his palm up, with the action, Kira threw her head back and let out an ear splitting, painful scream. 

A bright orange glowed within her chest before pushing out of her chest in an orange electrical discharge, pooling above Void’s hand with every bit of it extracted. The process went on for ten more seconds before the last of it was sucked from Kira, letting out a final gasp she crumbled to the ground like dead weight. Void’s eyes followed her broken form on the ground, hand still holding up the orb of Fox Fire that hovered over his hand. He watched, emotionless, as Kira’s body shimmered, releasing tiny fire sparks as she faded until they died out and nothing but Caspian’s cloak and her clothes were left. 

“Hmmm, didn’t see that coming.” He mussed quietly. 

Sebastian clapped his hands, “My, my, my… Even _I_ was pleasantly surprised and equally marveled, yet terrified by the show of force.” 

Void turned to him “I thought you might be. Now, come. That took a toll, I need to rest before the ceremony and Deaton will be needing this for his collection.” 

Sebastian snorted, “If I had known you could do it yourself, I wouldn’t have had need for the Darach—” 

“I am not your servant.” 

The Wraith King chuckled, “Of course, not… Now since you won’t have me killing that pest Caspian, what is it you would have me do with him? And bear in mind, I’m making an exception in asking your opinion, make it good.” He was weary of the way Void was looking at him with the orb in his hand, wondering if the Spark might retaliate against him. But instead, Void walked past him and went over to the unconscious man. 

“Tell me… Why can’t he use his abilities?” Void asked, looking down at Caspian. 

Sebastian walked up behind him, “I had them bound long ago. He is my prisoner and like all prisoners, has lost privileges to his abilities.” 

Void nodded slowly, “You should lock him up then.” Sebastian nodded but before he could say anything dropped to one knee, slid his free hand slowly into Caspian’s hair and muttered quietly to himself. His eyes took on the orange glow of the fire in his hand as he drew energy from it. Caspian’s eyes snapped open, his mouth open as he let out a silence scream, his dark irises turned green with his power returning to him painfully.

Sebastian stepped forward “What are you doing?”

Void ignored him and continued. His forearm – the one holding the orb—broke out in deep red fiery veins as he drew more of the Foxfire. He let out a quiet groan concentrated harder on the task. He then jumped to his feet, ripping his hand away from Caspian’s head. The wraith’s eyes rolled to the back of his head and he slumped again, going unconscious. 

Void turned to Sebastian, “There. He won’t awaken until I command it. If anyone asks, tell them he fell victim to an unknown illness. Shouldn’t be hard to believe in this time.” 

Sebastian smirked and walked over to him, claiming his lips in a bruising and demanding kiss, mindful of the powerful object in his hand. Void let him, responding with half the enthusiasm. Sebastian pulled away after a moment, but keeping his arm around Void’s waist as he whispered, “You. Are. _Devilishly._ Brilliant.” 

Void smirked and brushed past him, “I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You promised not to kill meeeee! ToT
> 
> Ahem... So did you like this chapter? XD You probably hate me... I guess I didn't make you promise not to do that so... You can hate me... but ~_~ Just stay... Because full disclosure... it gets uglier... like very ugly. 
> 
> M'kay, thanks for reading! Byeeee!  
> \--Nixie.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Much calmer, this chapter. We go over to the Stilinski household. We find out more about the history of the Wraith Realm from Peter Hale the Wise Alpha... Hehe... Has the dark realm always been that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHOOP WHOOP! WE MADE IT TO CHAPTER 20! And only after what... 3 weeks? That's gotta be a record! \\(^o^)/
> 
> I know this chapter is calmer than the last and that you're prolly still mad at me about the whole uhm... Ahem... Kira situation, but please read with care... a lot of what is said in here will play a part in future chapters. Think of it as an explanatory interlude, after which we get back to the action. 
> 
> Okay! Enjoy!  
> Onward!

**Beacon Hills**  
**Stilinski Household**

Silence. That’s what met the house. Absolute silence. 

Cora’s eyes shifted wildly between Derek and Peter, trying to discern if they were joking about any aspect of what they told them. Seeing nothing of the sort, she shifted her gaze to Isaac but the wolf also had the same expression on his face from his place on the stairs, his scowling gaze staring intently at Erica and Boyd. 

Gaping, Cora scoffed nervously “I—You can’t be serious!” 

Peter sighed, “Cora, normally I would appreciate your lack of naivety, but right now, we don’t have time to allow you to adjust.” 

“Right,” Erica mumbled, her gaze moving from where it’s been resting on Isaac since they came in, to Peter, “You said Batman was missing.” 

“ _We_ said Stiles was missing,” Isaac growled, turning attention to himself. “You all just got here remember? Peter included, don’t make it seem like he’s been in charge this whole time—Oh, no wait, I’m sorry, I forgot… He’s your new _Alpha_ so of course he’s the one you listen to and stick with.” 

Derek’s brows furrowed in worry, “Isaac—” 

“I’m _fine._ ” His mate sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, “I’m just irritated.” 

“It’s the eclipse…” Peter mumbled. When the others turned to him questionably, he elaborated. “It will affect all of us, our emotions will be on high alert and that’s why you all need to be prepared for what’s to come.” 

John sighed, “About that… What do I do with the ordinary citizens of this town? According to you, the eclipse will be during the daytime and everybody will want to be outside to witness it, I have several people planning parties already.” He looked to Derek, “Any idea how to keep them from the line of fire?” 

Derek frowned, “Usually the fight doesn’t go beyond the Preserve but…” He turned to Peter, receiving a nod from his uncle.

“It will definitely go beyond. This isn’t a fight to dominate the supernatural world… The Wraith King will want everything and that is why he needs Stiles.” 

Boyd leaned forward in his seat, propping his forearms on his thighs, “About _that,_ how exactly did Stiles become so powerful and why him? I mean he was just human, what… Where did all this power come from?” 

Peter was surprised to find every pair of eyes turn to him… Oh, now his weird obsession with all things supernatural is appreciated? Four years ago, he was the creeper wolf that nobody liked. He sighed, now was not the time to be moody and petty. The question now was how to tell them all in a way they would understand the first time so he wouldn’t have to repeat it and they could save time. He supposed going back to the beginning would be the way to go. 

He sighed and leaned back his armchair, rubbing his chin. “Right… I don’t know how much of this is true but so far… It seems a lot is.” He frowned and closed his eyes, going back into his memories. “When I was little, my grandmother used to tell me stories of a world that gave birth to ours… A world where Witches, Werewolves, Sparks, Kitsunes, Druids etc originated and once lived in harmony…” 

*~~~~~~*

_“Really? Everybody was friends?” Six-year-old Peter blinked widely at Cordelia, his grandmother._

_Sixteen-year-old Talia rolled her eyes and stood from her seat, “Right, well, you sit there and believe these myths, twerp, and I will go and get back to the real world.”_

_Peter stuck his tongue out at her retreating back and turned to his chuckling grandmother. For someone with grandchildren, Peter thought she looked very beautiful and young, unlike most old women with teenage grandchildren. But that could of course be because she’s a werewolf. “Tell me more, Nana.”_

_Cordelia smiled at the charming boy, “Well… First, you need to understand, Peter, that everything has a home, where it came from and where we can follow its history.”_

_“Like ancestors?”_

_“Precisely, smart boy!” Peter giggled as his grandmother ruffled his hair. “Now, long ago, there was a Kingdom ruled by a beautiful Queen, Aurelia the Northern Star.”_

_Peter gaped, “She was a star?”_

_Cordelia smiled, “She was very much like one. She was the one who brought light to her Kingdom, so bright they called her the Great Spark.” She paused again to allow an interruption from Peter but it didn’t come so she continued, “Through the years, Queen Aurelia gifted those deserving with the ability to make things possible if they believed hard enough and if they had the purest of hearts. For many years she did this. Thousands of years passed and the Queen fell in love.”_

_“With a King?” Peter asked with a wide grin._

_“Indeed.” Cordelia laughed, “But the King was not a person that most agreed with, especially the Queen’s third cousin, because he was promised to the Queen, himself.”_

_Peter made a face “Bleh! Cousins aren’t supposed to get married!”_

_Cordelia hummed, “Hmm. Well, things were different back then. Now hush and let me finish.” Peter nodded, “The Queen fell in love with a Spirit—”_

_Peter gasped, “She married a ghost?!”_

_“Peter Hale!”_

_“Sorry!” He slapped his tiny hands over his mouth, sparkling blue eyes wide with mischief._

_Sighing, the Alpha woman ran a hand through Peter’s hair, “No… He was not a ghost; he was a Spirit… A Fox Spirit.” She smirked when Peter gasped and gaped in wonder but was glad for no interruptions, “The Kitsune King was a man of great honor and respect and he loved and respected the Spark Queen. On the day of their wedding, the third cousin retaliated and attacked the palace, many lost their lives and amongst them… King Inari. While his royal guard fought hard to protect him, they too disappeared with his fall.” Peter’s brows furrowed in sadness but he chose to stay silent._

_“While very much heartbroken, Queen Aurelia managed to win the fight against Igor—her third cousin— and the man fell soon enough…” Cordelia looked up and out the window, “But what they all did not know was that Aurelia was already with child.”_

_Peter frowned in confusion, “Hmm? She saved a kid?”_

_His grandmother laughed, “Yes, you could say that. She saved a beautiful baby girl. But before the girl could have her first birthday, another war started, this one started by Igor’s only son… Sebastian. For he sought vengeance for his father and he sought to fulfil his father’s wish to take over the Kingdom… And he did.”_

_“Oh no!” Peter’s hands flew to his mouth again after his outburst, “Sorry, Nana.” He mumbled behind them._

_Cordelia laughed, “That’s quite alright, cub.” She ran a hand under his jaw before returning it back to his head, “May I continue?” Peter nodded. “Alright. With this war, Sebastian came stronger for he had not come alone, he had asked for help from the Queen’s enemies. Together they defeated Aurelia and took her Kingdom but not before she could save her little princess and her younger sister, Alina. She took them to a magical tree that would take them to a new and safer world, where Sebastian would not find them and then… She closed the doorway and cast one last spell on those that betrayed her, forever bound to the land they claimed and never to see the light of day.”_

_Peter’s eyes widened, “So… She took away the sun?”_

_Cordelia looked back down at his grandson, wondering how he became so smart when neither of his parents were half that. The thought was comical. “Yes, smart wolfie, she took the sun.” She beamed. “Now, the bright Kingdom that once lived under the glory of light was gone because she locked her Spark away for safekeeping until the right special child was born who would save her people.”_

_“Wooow.” Peter breathed, then frowned, “But… I don’t get it, Nana. Where did the princess go? Why can’t she grow up and save the Kingdom? Isn’t that what Princesses do? They save their people!”_

_Cordelia knew then, in that moment that his little Peter would be the future of the Hale Pack. The he would lead their pack to greatness. It’s not every day that you find a six-year-old boy who is not pro boys and pro princes and kings and all things male ruling and saving people._

_“Nobody knows where the princess was sent to, little one. But it was said that amongst her many great grandchildren, one would be born who would be the exact image of her mother, Queen Aurelia… and that she would carry the_ Grand Spark _and bring light back to the Kingdom of Iskra and of its neighbors.”_

_“Wow.” Peter breathed again, then his eyes lit up, “Oh! Maybe she’s here! Maybe the Princess was sent to Earth!”_

_Cordelia smiled, “Hmm, maybe.”_

_“Hmm,” The little wolf hummed, “I wonder what the new Queen’s name will be… Will she also be called Aurelia?”_

_The Alpha woman hummed, her lower lip jutting out in though, “Well… It is said that the new Grand Spark would be named the angle of light._ She who brings light to the shadow.”

_Peter frowned with an unpleasant pout, “Hmm, that’s a pretty long name.”_

_Cordelia laughed, “No, little Peter Patter. If she is ever born and when the time comes, her name will be—”_

*~~~~~~* 

_“Aerglo.” _Peter finished, opening his eyes to find the wondrous stares of his pack, family and acquaintances. “ _He_ who glows bright in the night sky.” He finished. __

__Cora frowned, “Wait, why he? You said great Nana said it was a girl so… obviously it’s not Stiles, what does this have anything to do with…” She paused, colour draining from her face. Her eyes widened, “Don’t tell me Petra…”_ _

__Peter shook his head quickly, “No… It’s definitely Stiles.”_ _

__“And Kira…” Lydia whispered, “Is that why they took her? Because she’s the descendant of the Fox King?” Peter nodded slowly. “Wha…uhm” She swallowed thickly, “What’s gonna happen to her?”_ _

__Peter stared at her… That’s the part neither he, nor the Beastiary knows the answer to. He had no idea what the Wraiths would do to turn Stiles and achieve eternal power. He just knew that they would exploit that dark part of him in order to escape the prison that Aurelia placed on them. Yes, he knew about Void, Stiles kept no secrets from him… If only Peter knew who he really was before he left. As it happens you could very much do worse by leaving a person even if it is to protect them._ _

__Peter’s intention was to drive whatever evil that came with him away from Stiles but as it seemed, his little Spark was a beacon… just as much as… His eyes widened, “The Nemeton.”_ _

__Derek frowned, “Yeah, we found out that Stiles had been to visit it when he was taken. Lydia was gonna take us there before—”_ _

__“No, I know that.” Peter cut in, “What I didn’t know was the fact that the Nemeton is the tree.”_ _

__Isaac scoffed, “Really? Did you just realise that?”_ _

__Peter gave him a bored look, “Did you just learn to be sassy all the time? I mean the Nemeton is _thee_ tree… The one that sent Alina here with the princess.” _ _

__Lydia gasped and stood, “It’s the gateway! That’s why I was drawn to it instantly, even though I didn’t come into contact with it like Scott, Allison and Stiles.”_ _

__“Because you’re weird?” Cora asked nonchalantly._ _

__“ _Because_ it’s linked to the Wraith Realm and therefore to _life and death_ … which is what Wraiths are.” Peter responded, giving Cora an irritated look. “Now that we’re all caught up—” _ _

__“You think my son… Is the Spark Queen reincarnate?” John asked slowly, that when everything went dead quiet. Usually these types of things are discussed without parents around and therefore no humans around and therefore no conflict of interest._ _

__Derek turned to him, “John—”_ _

__“Just…” John cut him off with a raised hand, locking Peter’s gaze. “You said Claudia was a Spark, you didn’t say…” He trailed off. Peter just kept his gaze, choosing not to say anything until John found his words. The Sheriff ran a hand over his mouth and chin and sighed before looking back up again. “Okay, since we have no way of proving any of this— and I will admit that I am in a state of denial right now— I just want my son back safely and we’ll deal with the rest later… How do we get him and Kira back?”_ _

__The room sighed in relief. At least he hadn’t freaked out and shot all of them. Peter nodded stiffly and turned to Lydia, “Do you still remember where the Nemeton is, Miss Martin?”_ _

__“I…” Lydia frowned, “Not exactly but if we go to where we found Stiles’ phone again, I can feel its proximity. I’ll know where it is if I… Deaton!” She stood suddenly, “I don’t know how but Deaton knew where it was last time, he can tell us.”_ _

__Peter frowned, he did not like the man at all but beggars can’t be choosers. He would lead them to the tree stump but it never stays in the same place and if the Druid was the closest thing to a locator spell that they got. Why the man chose to play Emissary for a premature pack of mutts led by a useless ‘True Alpha’ Peter will never know, but he guessed it had to do with the way Scott has been yapping to other packs about being a True Alpha… it gave Deaton an edge to be Emissary for a ‘True Alpha’._ _

__“Okay, call him. Scott would have filled him in by now and if he’s smart, he’ll cooperate…” Peter shrugged, “Or I’ll just have to make him.” Everyone knew it was a clear threat and none were opposed to the necessary violence._ _

__Lydia nodded and stood to go to the kitchen to use the phone. Her own was broken back at the Martin household, along with lots of valuable furniture and let’s just say the lady of the house will not be happy upon her return._ _

__Peter turned to Derek, “Alright. We need to strategize, we can’t Braveheart this. You’ve fought those wraiths twice now, so you should know what their weaknesses are… We’ll work a plan around that…” He trailed off, his eyes travelling to where Isaac sat and then higher. Then they lowered to Isaac, then Derek, but his nephew’s eyes were already looking towards the stairs, following Isaac as his fiancé made his way up quietly._ _

__“What is it?” John asked. Really, he was growing tired of always being in the dark. His eyes went across the room to notice every person’s eyes wide with a mixture of excitement, disbelieve, anxiety and all-around nervous energy. Then it hit him, he jumped to his feet quickly, “The twins—”_ _

__“They’re fine.” Derek answered quietly, “They just woke up is all.”_ _

__Boyd frowned, “But it’s 5:30am” He looked at the clock, “On the dot.” He whispered._ _

__Derek nodded, “They do that. It’s like their brains are wired to wake up at this time every day, no matter the day. Sometimes they wake up earlier though but since they had that little episode earlier…” His eyes trailed to Peter. The man ignored him; his eyes trained on the stairs. Derek smirked to himself, his uncle is already attached and he doesn’t even… “Wait… Peter… When did you feel the pull to be with them?”_ _

__Peter turned to him with a raised brow, “About two nights ago? Why?”_ _

__“How come you didn’t feel it before?”_ _

__Cora raised a brow, at this point John was convinced it was a family trait. “Yeah, that’s a good question. You just went crazy about coming here two nights ago. Why?” She turned to Derek, “What happened two nights ago?”_ _

Isaac appeared at the top of the stairs then, in each hand an index finger clutched by a tiny hand. He walked slowly to match their slow—stumbling— speed, especially since the sleep was still very much evident in their eyes. John smiled and went over to say good morning, his eyes catching the bracelets secured on their wrists that Lydia put there two nights ago and something clicked in his mind…

~~~~~~*

“Luna sub optime Clerce, sic faciet tibi tuta.”

_“They’re cloaked.” Lydia had said._

...

_John turned to Kira with an intrigued look, “You can sense werewolves?”_

_Kira nodded “They have a very distinct energy to them. Kinda like real wolves, which is why I thought you had dogs. Claudie and Petra are… still small to be noticeably werewolves.” She frowned and looked over to the twins, “But something is differe—”_

*~~~~~~*

John frowned. Kira had been interrupted then but… what was she going to say?/p>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No confusions right? You still with me? Gucci. Ain't little Peter just the cutest? He's so darlin'! (^_^) Hope you enjoyed this informative chapter, one of my favorites because I liked creating that new universe without flopping it, it's my proud accomplishment. XD
> 
> Alright! This is the last chapter for today!  
> Thank you for reading, as always, love you lots! And I will see you tomorrow.  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final preparations for a plan to get Stiles back and some new discoveries that are probably predictable by now... Hehe! XD My readers are too smart. We have a little cutesy flashback of our favorite main couple and what closely resembles pack bonding/family feels...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter with 6000+ words! Further explanation and information in this chapter which most of you have probably guessed. But maybe not happening the way you thought it would. I'd like to think I can still catch you by surprise. A lot of reference to the events of TW (series) so if you haven't watched it, it might get a little confusing, but it's not relevant past what I explain...
> 
> So yeah... Enjoy this one.  
> Onward!

**Beacon Hills  
Stilinski Residence**

“Mr Stilinski?” Isaac called. John blinked and looked up, Isaac was looking at him with concern, “You okay?” he asked. John looked back down at the twins rubbing the sleep out of their eyes, waiting to be helped down the stairs. He picked them up and set them down at the bottom of the stairs, watching as they automatically walked over to Derek and raised their arms to be picked up and the big softie—though don’t let him hear you call him that— obliged. 

John turned to Isaac, “Since you got here, have you noticed anything about the twins that wasn’t there before they came here?” 

The wolf frowned and thought on it. There was this one thing that… “I uh… Don’t know how to explain it but, the pack bond is stronger, somehow? Not that it wasn’t before but it’s like… I can feel their wolves better than before.” He raised his tone at the end, the statement coming out as a question. 

John frowned, “Lydia put those bracelets on them… Do you know what they do? I mean, she said they cloaked them but _how_ exactly, she didn’t say.” 

Peter kept a close ear on the conversation, doing a math of his own. If Isaac could feel the twins’ wolves better, it meant they were somehow pushed to the forefront of their nature. They couldn’t have grown if the kids themselves haven’t, which could only mean whatever was initially hiding or diluting their wolf nature was pulled back… His eyes widened, he never felt so _stupid._

He stood, ignoring the murmurs from Erica and Cora and went straight to Derek, holding his hand out to Petra, “May I see your hand, sweetheart?” He asked in a very gentle and quiet voice. Petra handed her hand over, lazily dropping her head on Derek’s shoulder like her brother. “Thank you, sweetie.” Peter murmured, already inspecting the bracelet on Petra’s wrist. Another small hand landed on his own, he followed the arm to Claudie’s face, he was smiling lazily at him. 

“Morning, Daddy.” He mumbled. 

Peter’s heart swelled, skipping a beat so hard that he felt his entire body chilled and his breath hitched. He froze… He acted instinctively a few hours ago as he had with nieces and nephews but this was still very much new territory, but again, his wolf growled deep within him to attend to his cubs. He reached a hand out to lay on Claudie’s head, rubbing affectionately. “Good morning, little wolf. Did you sleep well?” 

The little boy beamed and grinned at his father, “Yes…” He answered bashfully. “Did _you_ sleep well, daddy?” 

Cora and Erica positively swooned and Peter had to try very hard not to roll his eyes. Instead he just smiled at his son, “I slept very well, thank you.” He then looked up at Derek, almost pausing to tell him that he was once that size and that cute before he overgrew to Peter’s height and a few inches higher. “The bracelets hide their Sparks.” He stated simply. 

Isaac and John walked over. “Wait, what? Why would Stiles bind their Sparks?” Isaac asked. 

“Not bind,” Peter crossed his arms, “Cloak…” He adjusted “They’re merely covered with a layer of Stiles’ own spark energy.” He took Petra’s hand again and showed them the white stone, “This stone provides a blanket of invisibility—if you will— over the natural spark, whether the castor’s own or specially designed for the spark of another. My guess is, because their sparks are now hidden, their wolf sparks are now more prominent.” 

“Wait… Wolf spark?” Erica asked, “What’s that?” 

“And how do you know so much about this?” Derek’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. 

Peter gave him a bored look, “Unlike you and the rest of the Scooby Don’t clan, nephew, I actually took the time to listen to the Little Spark when he explained exactly how he made his _miracles_ happen. This isn’t the first time Stiles made a bracelet like this, in fact…” He ran a thumb over Petra’s bracelets, “I’m the one who got him the white crystals.” 

“Huh… I wondered why he never let us touch that jewellery box.” Isaac mussed. Peter smiled to himself, he bought that box for Stiles too. It had a protection rune already carved into it; Stiles only had to activate it with his element.  
“I miss Tata, when is he coming home?” Petra asked quietly looking up at Derek. 

Derek smiled down at her, “Tata will be home as soon as he’s done with work, Rocky. You know Tata leaves to work sometimes, right?” The little girl nodded slowly, playing with the string of Derek’s hooded shirt. “Well, this is one of those times.” 

“But Tata always calls when he’s away.” Claudie mumbled, almost seeming too shy to do so. Derek’s heart broke. He couldn’t exactly tell them that Stiles would be back, he himself had no idea what would happen in the events of the day. 

Peter reached forward, “Come here, sweetheart.” Petra wasted no time handing herself over. Peter held her close and gazed into her eyes, only now noticing that they were a shade between whiskey and green. “Tata just lost his phone, princess. You know he would call if he had it with him, right?” 

“But…” The little girl hesitated. “Will he be okay without it?” 

Peter smiled, catching the lisp when Petra spoke. “Tata’s a big boy. He can take care of himself… Now, are you hungry, little wolf?” He drummed his fingers on her ribs slowly, emitting a fit of squirms and giggle from Petra before she nodded and rested her chin over Peter’s shirt, clutching the sleeve and collar for purchase as the man walked over to the kitchen, “Alright then, Derek, Isaac, pre-breakfast time.” The Alpha called over his shoulder, pausing when he saw Lydia’s distraught face. “Okay, sweet pea, why don’t you tell uncle Izzy what you want for breakfast while Daddy talks to Miss Lydia, alright?” He mumbled into his daughter’s dark hair, receiving a nod from the little girl. “Okay.” Peter kissed her head and handed her over to the waiting wolf. 

He nodded Lydia over to the front door, along with the others, knowing that Isaac and Derek would be able to hear, but the twins wouldn’t. Lydia and everybody else available followed, John leading the gang, eager to know what the vet had to say. He was growing tired of the waiting; they had been sniffing around the same plant for two days now and apart from the shock therapy that Peter issued on all of them. 

Peter turned to Lydia, “You reek of confusion and fear, what did Deaton say?” 

Lydia glared “First of all, I don’t _reek,_ ew. Second, I didn’t find Deaton, I found Hayden and she… She sounded very distraught—” 

“Why? What happened?” Cora cut in. 

Lydia threw her hands in frustration, “What am I— I’m getting to that!” 

“Children!” Peter sighed. And to think he was now a father of two… it’s so much easier with other people’s children, they annoy you and you sent them to their parents. He sighed again, right, like he would replace this new feeling with anything. “Lydia… Please continue?” 

The Banshee bit her lip, “The wraiths didn’t just attack Kira and I this morning… They took Jackson and Theo.” 

“What?” Erica growled, “What the hell are they after?! What’s the pattern here?” The damn things were getting on her damn nerves. It would be better if she could fight them but she hasn’t even seen them, making her extremely peeved. 

Lydia’s eyes suddenly widened, “Oh my, that’s it! Pattern!” She ran back in the house, grabbed a piece of paper from the table and a pen and went back out. “Okay, apart from Stiles, let’s make a list of the persons they took.” She sat on the porch bench, surrounded by the wolves and John and started up her list. “Right so… They took Ethan first, after Stiles. Then Kira… Then Jackson and Theo…” She frowned; how do you find a pattern here? Determining the reason for each kidnapping. 

“Okay, so they took Stiles because he’s the key to getting them out of there… Kira because,” She paused and looked up at Peter, “She’s the Fox King’s descendant?” At least that’s what Peter’s story implied.

Peter nodded, “I don’t know how everything links up to her and what they want from her but…” He paused, something coming to mind but since he still didn’t know what they would possibly want it for, he shrugged, “They must have needed her for _something._ ” Technically, Kira was no threat because what Peter left out was the part where after the war, the Kitsunes severed ties with the Wraith Realm… Kira’s death would not do any benefit to the wraiths. They must want her for her spark, like the others.

Lydia frowned and made a line to link Kira to Stiles. “Alright, now we only have Ethan, Theo and Jackson left… Why take them? They’re just ordinary wolves.” 

“Wait… Jackson?” Erica asked, “As in, Jackson Whittmore?” Lydia nodded. Erica and Boyd shared confused looks, “When did _he_ become a wolf, I…” She looked to Peter, “I thought he was a gross giant blue lizard.” 

Lydia’s eyes popped out and she tapped her temple roughly, “Stupid, Martin! Of course!” She looked up the confused frowns and jumped to her feet. “I know why they took them!” She started a monologue pace on the length of the porch, “Okay, so Jackson’s body initially rejected the bite and he turned into the Kanima. Theo is a Chimera created by the Dread Doctors—” 

“I’m sorry, _what_ and uh _who,_ now?” Erica blinked. 

“And Ethan was part of a super Alpha wolf hybrid that killed his entire pack to gain their power.” Lydia finished. 

Cora frowned, “What are you getting at?” 

“The pattern, Cora, is that they’ve all gotten their powers the wrong way.” Lydia answered, when met with raised brows she threw her head back and groaned to the skies. “Sparks!” She yelled, “Peter just said something about wolf spark.” She gestured for Peter to elaborate. 

“Right, the power that makes us Wolves, Banshee and all that is a spark. When an Alpha kills another, they don’t steal their alpha wolf, merely their alpha _spark._ In other words, an alpha is a wolf with enough spark for an entire pack of wolves and that is why they are stronger, faster and can transform fully while a beta can’t… It’s called the Alpha Spark.” Peter explained. 

Lydia nodded, “Exactly. Theo wasn’t bitten and he’s not just a wolf, he’s a cayote too, which is what makes him a Chimera. The Dread Doctors used… Well, long story short, let’s just say people had to die, _a lot_ of people, before Theo and the few like him were successful.” 

“Who the hell is Theo?” Erica groaned quietly, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

Again, Lydia ignored and continued, “Again, Jackson’s body rejected the bite, that’s why he turned into the Kanima, he wasn’t supposed to be a wolf and when Derek bit him again, only then did it take…” Lydia stopped pacing, “And then there’s Ethan… He and Aiden killed their entire pack and took their sparks in order to become the Voltron Wolf. That much we already know.” 

Boyd clenched his teeth, his jaw flexing, “Wait… Ethan, the same asshole who was in the Alpha Pack with his assholier brother? The freak giant wolf thing?” 

Lydia paused, oh yeah. She almost forgot that the Alpha Pack had kidnapped and tortured Erica and Boyd, how could she forget something so important. She cringed, “Uh… Yeah, about that—"

“No time for that. We’ll explain later.” Derek cut in and turned to Lydia, “So, the pattern is what? They’re after people who weren’t supposed to have the wolf sparks and power that they have?” 

Lydia nodded, “Exactly. And if that’s the case… They’ll be after one other person.” She bit her lip, suddenly remembering a very piece of information. 

The others waited for her to continue but she didn’t so Erica having built up frustration spoke up, “Oh my god! Are you gonna tell us or not? Jesus.” 

Lydia jumped a bit and licked her dry lips, “Sorry uhm… It’s just, the first night we went to visit Scott’s pack, Kira had a bit of a reaction to him.” 

Derek scoffed, “He’s her ex, of course she would—” 

“That’s what I thought too but it wasn’t like that, she said it wasn’t her that reacted to it, it was her Foxfire… The Kitsune.” The Banshee clarified, “She said something about feeling like Scott’s wolf wasn’t supposed to be like that… What else could she have meant other than the ‘True Alpha’ thing?” 

Derek frowned, “Lydia, you and I both know Scott didn’t kill anyone to become an Alpha. Are you sure Kira wasn’t just—” 

“Nephew, for once in your life, quiet down and think.” Peter cut in calmly leaning on the rails of the porch, “It is also possible that little Scott the annoying teen wolf became an Alpha in the same manner that Theo became a Chimera.” Peter knew it… He knew the day would come when he would catch the snake by its front teeth.

“How?” Derek raised a brow, “The only people who did experiments like that were the Dread Doctors and he was never captured by them, so how did he—” 

Peter chuckled, shaking his head at the naivety. “Who else has been the first and all-around ambassador, cheerleader and advocate for Scott as the True Alpha? Who else knew that Stiles was a Spark before anyone else? Who somehow—apart from myself— knew all things Beacon Hills and things that go bump in the night, but most importantly, how to defeat and weaken every creature you possibly came across?” He paused, meeting Derek’s stare head on. 

“Deaton?” Derek asked in confusion. He really didn’t like the Druid but that was only because he expressly chose not to help Derek but he was always helpful to Scott. He thought it was just because, like everybody, the man liked Scott. 

“Deaton has a nasty habit of collecting items and I would not be surprised if one of them was the Alpha Spark.” Peter was almost absolutely sure that’s how Scott became an Alpha. It wasn’t the first time the Druid lied about something so important. Maybe it was time Derek knew the truth. No… now was not the right time.

“You think _Deaton_ stole someone’s Alpha Spark and gave it to Scott?” Boyd asked. The man was so nice, he could hardly believe he was capable but he was also very dodgy about most things so it was something to consider. “But… whose?” 

Peter shrugged, “At one point we had an entire pack of Alphas remember? Most died in this town, he could have easily stolen the spark from any one of them.” 

Lydia nodded, “Scott became an Alpha on the same day that we fought and defeated the Alpha Pack… So… Ennis or Kali? They’re the ones that died before Scott became an Alpha.” 

“Kali.” Derek affirmed, “Ennis died at the bank, way before Scott became an Alpha but McCall pushed through a barrier of mountain ash on the day that Kali died…” He remembers Jennifer or Julia or whatever her name, telling him that she did all the crazy things she did for him. All the killings, all the sacrifices, but it was only so she could get to Kali for killing her entire pack and leaving her for dead… “The Darach killed Kali, didn’t she?” 

Lydia nodded. She remembered the day clearly; it was the day the twins defected against the pack… or specifically Kali. Aiden barely saved her from Kali that night.

“Which means she couldn’t have taken the spark, which also means—” 

“McCall’s so called ‘True Alpha’ abilities are just all fake as spray tan.” Erica smirked. “He’s not gonna take that well.” She laughed jubilantly.

“Okay, given that we have all of this down, what if Scott _is_ actually the True Alpha?” Lydia asked, “Deaton said it happens once every century, what if Scott really is a the one?” She had to believe that Scott was good enough for this because despite all of this, he was still Stiles’ friend and Stiles’ instincts are never wrong, he saw something in Scott. He saw a powerful wolf and believed that his friend was capable of great things and he was. Scott did many great things, exceeded expectations. “Besides, when would Deaton have had time to take Kali’s spark and give it to Scott? The time space is too close and he wasn’t there when Jennifer killed Kali.” 

“Just because you didn’t see him, doesn’t mean he wasn’t there.” Peter deadpanned. “None of you knew he was a druid for a very long time.” 

John who had somehow remained quiet through all of this, finally decided to speak up. “It doesn’t matter how Scott became this so called True Alpha thing, what matters is whether he’s on the wraiths’ radar or not. Now, since we have no way of knowing for sure, we’d better act fast. Who’s getting him?” 

Derek sighed, “I’ll go.” If they sent Peter, there was no guarantee he would get there in one piece. On glance at his uncle proved he would very much enjoy an encounter with the wolf. Any other day, he would say go for it but priorities and all that. “Where is he?” He asked Lydia.

Lydia shrugged, “If not out stupidly looking for the others then at your loft. Hayden said Scott wanted the entire pack together for Deaton and for the others.” 

“Wait, why Deaton? Where is he?” Cora asked.

Lydia shrugged “Apparently he was out with Theo and Jackson and… Well, all Hayden said is that they found his body and the others were gone.” 

Erica snorted, “How sure are we they didn’t just kill him and bounce?” 

“’Rica” Boyd groaned. 

“What?!” Erica shrugged “You know you were thinking it too babe, you all were… I mean, we’d all do it, right?” She smirked when the company either shrugged, nodded or pointedly looked away from her. “Mhm, that’s exactly what I thought.”

Derek sighed, “Okay.” He looked to the skies and allowed his eyes to bleed red, pinpointing the location of the sun and how far the eclipse was. “Alright we still have time. If we’re gonna work with the McCall pack, they need to be here for strategy implementation.” 

Erica hummed, “It’s too bad… Batman usually comes up with the plans.” 

John’s eyes widened, “Stiles does?” 

The blonde nodded, “It’s his thing. Every time we all followed his plans; we all came back alive. Bruised… but alive.” She offered him a smile. Derek frowned, he knew she was right, but it hurt to be reminded of the errors he made when he was an Alpha. After all, Erica and Boyd did literally run away from him. It hurt. The only one who wouldn’t give up on him was Isaac… He was the Stiles to his Peter. 

Speaking of which, his uncle was looking at him with an understanding look. Huh, he supposed if anyone knew what is was like to have pack run out on you, it would be him. But how can Derek begin to compare his situation with Peter’s when he was left not only by his pack, but by his last remaining family after a tragic massacre of said family? And not only was he simply left, he was left at his weakest and most vulnerable state. 

Yes, Derek has had time to grow and realize how much of a dick he and Laura were to Peter and that justifiably anyone would go insane after going through what Peter did but more than that, Derek felt like an asshole because he was the reason his entire family was dead and why Peter suffered for six years. He might not have known, but he should have seen the signs. Just like he should have with Jennifer. Thank God for Stiles because he was the only one, before Isaac, who didn’t treat him with kid gloves on the subject of his toxic relationships. 

“Alright,” Lydia broke the silence, “How do we get Scott’s pack here? Only Hayden can get in past the wards.” 

“Perhaps we don’t need to bring them to us…” Peter mussed, drawing attention to himself, but he just smirked at Derek, “About time you took back what was yours nephew,” He walked back inside, pausing at the door, “Besides, if I remember correctly, the Preserve is still very much Hale territory. As is most of Beacon Hills.” 

Derek frowned, “Not after I left. I handed it over to Scott’s pack.” 

“And that would have been all good and well, Derek, if the land was yours to give.” With that Peter walked back inside. Followed by John, Lydia, Erica and Boyd to discuss the final plans. 

Derek’s eyes widened. That’s right… The land automatically went Peter since his mother died first. Derek would have had ownership had Peter remained dead after he killed him that time, but Peter was still very much alive and knowing his uncle, he made sure somehow that the land never transferred to his nieces and nephews even if he did die. Of course, now he will most likely put down Petra and Claudie as beneficiaries, but it made Derek wonder what if he didn’t have children, would Peter really die with the deed in his name because he didn’t trust Derek… Well, with good reason evidently. 

Cora walked up to him, “Stiles.” Derek turned to shoot her a raised brow. His siter rolled her eyes with a sigh, “He gave Hale land to Stiles.” With that said, she followed her uncle inside. Derek has never been more shocked, really Stiles never told him. And that’s how Isaac found him, frozen in the same spot he had taken up when he joined the others. 

“Hey,” Isaac wrapped his arms around his waist and placing his head on his shoulder, scenting him. As an automatic response, Derek wrapped his arms around his back, resting his chin on his head with a sigh. Isaac looked up, “Maybe he had a reason for not telling us.” 

Derek nodded, “I know. He always has a good reason for why he does anything I just…” 

“You feel a little hurt that Peter trusted him over you?” 

Derek sighed, “Does that make me a horrible person after what I did to him?” 

Isaac jutted his lower lip out in thought, then shook his head. “No… It makes you human, Sourwolf.” Derek scoffed with an amused smirk. “And besides, Stiles _did_ help in killing Peter the first time, remember?... Molotov and all that? He’s the one that made killing Peter easy but… Well, he also fell in love with him. So, maybe you just need to mend your relationship with your uncle and sister, instead of moping and groaning about all the terrible things you did to him. _Apologize to him._ Peter is human too, Derek… If he can love, then he can forgive.” Isaac planted a soft lingering kiss on the side of his neck and stepped back. 

Derek smiled at him and raised a hand to lay on his cheek, caressing it with his thumb. “One day you’ll realize how much I don’t deserve you.” 

Isaac nodded, “Nobody ever truly deserves anything, Derek. That’s why loved ones feel so precious to us and why we have to make an effort to keep them… If I deserved you, you would take me for granted.” And with that, Isaac planted a gentle kiss on the inside of his wrist and he too left him standing there. 

The Hale Wolf sighed, Really, he should have grown wiser with Isaac and Stiles by his side but… It appears he still has much to learn, and learn he will.

**~~***~~**

“Okay, so, we just bust into their territory and say what? ‘Surprise assholes, we’re here to commandeer for an ultimate battle of two worlds’?” Cora asked. 

Peter sighed, “Language, Cora.” He glanced over his shoulder at his children playing on a blanket on the floor just outside of the circle of adults. A smile overtook his face when Petra looked over and grinned with her tiny teeth before turning back to her brother. Peter turned back to the group and sighed, “And no, we won’t just bust into their territory and start growling and beating our chests like cavemen. If Scott has evolved enough in his Alpha skills, we will take the diplomatic approach, that way he has no reason to discredit and dismiss us.” 

“I thought this was your land?” John asked. Peter’s eyes flickered to him then back to the map on the table. Derek eyed him for a moment before deciding to help. 

“One of the first wolf bylaws states that since we haven’t been here for a long time, it’s Scott’s territory, even when it’s still our land.” He said. Of course, he only knew that after reading the many books Stiles forced him to. He needed the knowledge to be a good Alpha… And he had the best Emissary ever to show him the way.

John nodded, “Kinda like when a dog pisses in _my_ garden?” 

Lydia snorted. “Yep, that would be the perfect analogy.” She smirked when all the wolves growled at her, eliciting a fit of high-pitched giggles from the twins. They too sending their own growls Lydia’s way. She just laughed and stuck her tongue out at them, getting the same in return. 

Everyone watched with keen expressions but Erica was the first to speak. “Yep. That adorableness is definitely Batman… I’m still trying to find the Peter in there though.” She tilted her head in thought then smirked at Peter. “Maybe they’ll inherit the famous flashy Hale eyebrow language?” Derek, Cora and Peter raised uninterested brows at her. “Yep, that one.” She laughed, joined by Lydia and Isaac. The latter then caught himself and his smile dropped, he still hasn’t forgiven them for just simply leaving without so much as a ‘bye, dawg.’ 

Seeing the saddened look on Isaac’s face, Derek reached over to rub his back in comfort. “M’fine.” Isaac whispered, offering him a convincing smile. Derek nodded, knowing that he was lying through his fangs but letting it go. 

“Okay, so, by primary estimation based on where you found Stiles’ phone…” Peter began, “You were heading…” 

“West.” Lydia answered. 

Peter nodded, “How far would you say it was from where the wraiths attacked you?” 

“From the energy signal… I’d say we were at approximately 10 minutes away but I could have just been feeling something else, I—” The strawberry blonde hesitated with a sigh, “This town is surrounded by so much dark magic that it’s all just blended together into this one big static of dark energy… I can’t be sure if what I was feeling was the Nemeton exactly.” 

“That’s fine, at least now we have a radius… We’ll just split into teams.” Peter looked up from the map, “My pack will take Lydia in search and confirmation of the Nemeton and Derek… You, Cora and Isaac will go handle the negotiations with McCall… He’ll most likely listen to you better; he’s always disrespected me and we have no time for his childishness…” That’s Peter politely saying he’d strangle him without incriminating himself. John was still the Sheriff “Assuming he’s still—” 

“Oh, he is.” Isaac mumbled. 

Peter nodded, “Alright.” He turned to John. “Sheriff, you have the most important task of all.” John raised a brow and stood straighter, waiting to hear his part in bringing his son back, finally Stiles was coming home. He started getting suspicious when the others shared a look, nodded and turned to look at the twins. He turned to hem then turned back to find all eyes on him again. “You’ll be getting _them_ out of here.” 

Derek and Isaac turned quick eyes to Peter. “What—” Isaac asked, “And take them where? No, this is the safest place they can be.”

Peter stared down at the table, reminiscing on one of the moments that made him fall deeper in love with Stiles than he already was…

*~~~~~~*

_Peter walked into his penthouse, after having spent a long day out running errands with his lawyers and his company. He was beyond tired and all he wanted to do was to take a nice, long hot bath and cuddle in bed with his Spark. Speaking of, Peter took his cell phone out, ready to call said Spark when he heard murmuring coming from inside the apartment. He almost hit himself for being too tired to notice the scent before he reached the door, but considering it was Stiles’ voice drifting from his apartment, he let himself get away with it. Stiles did have a tendency to cloak his scent._

_Opening the door, he paused and took a moment to inhale the calming ozone and citrus scent of his mate. Sighing contently, he dropped his suitcase and suit jacket on the couch and moved deeper in, past the dining area, following Stiles’ voice to the balcony. The glass doors were open, letting in the moonlight and the wind that carried Stiles’ scent into the apartment. Said Spark was sitting cross-legged at the very centre of the large round balcony, back to the apartment and hands rested on the floor in front of him._

_Peter leaned on the open doors and smiled at his back, “Busy day, sweetheart?”_

_Stiles shook his head without turning, “Not really. Just something I decided to do.”_

_Peter’s nose twitched; the ozone was heavier out here where the spark drifted from its owner. “And what is it exactly you’re doing?”_

_Stiles smiled and opened his eyes, looking back at Peter and showing him the bright purple orbs. “Come here,” He held out a hand. Peter barely hesitated as he stepped forward, sitting behind Stiles with his legs on either side of the Spark and wrapping his arms around Stiles’ waist and resting his chin on his shoulder. Stiles turned his head to kiss Peter’s temple. “Hi.” He whispered with a smile._

_Peter grunted and closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Stiles in his arms for the first time since the previous day. He hid his face in Stiles’ neck and groaned tiredly. “What are we doing here? I wanna go to bed.”_

_Stiles laughed and ruffled the top of Peter’s head softly, scratching his scalp gently “You’re such a baby when you’re tired.” He teased, receiving a growl and a nip to the neck. Laughing softly, he turned his eyes back to the crescent moon, lacing his fingers with Peter’s he shrugged his shoulder lightly to jostle Peter, “Look,” Peter raised his head to gaze at the sky. “What do you see?”_

_“The moon,” The Hale wolf deadpanned, “Which I saw on my way here. Now please get to the point, darling, I’m beyond exhausted.”_

_Stiles turned to give him a bored look. “No, I mean, what do you see, Zombiewolf? Use your other eyes.” Peter sighed, closed his eyes and allowed his wolf to come forward, opening his eyes again, he froze at the water ripple texture in the air. It was like he and Stiles were looking at the moon from under water. He allowed his gaze to travel to the left, then right, the warped image seemed to be covering the entire balcony._

_“Look down.” Stiles murmured. Peter obliged, his eyes widened in wonder at the large soft purple glowing pentagram circle they sat in with both protection wards he’d seen in one of the books he’d gifted to Stiles and three symbols for the Hale Triskelion. He followed the lines leading into the apartment to see another identical pentagram glowing on the ceiling far inside the apartment._

_He looked back to Stiles’ eyes—only noticing the rune that glowed just under his collarbone, through his shirt— to find the Spark smiling at him. Peter was at a loss for words, he had absolutely no idea what to say, so Stiles filled the silence. “I mastered the Protection Wards. I already placed some at the house so I thought I’d do the same here.”_

_Peter frowned in confusion, “Why? I can take care of myself; I don’t need them.”_

_Stiles nodded, “I know… But this is your home. It’s where you live and I’d sleep better at night knowing that this is a place you can feel safe and protected. You shouldn’t have to always worry about being found by enemies here and always sleeping with one eye open… I want you to be happy here and since I can’t be with you all the time… At least my spark will be.”_

_Stiles waved his hands out locking the wards in. Peter watched them pulse thrice before dying out but he could still feel the same energy hum in the air and smell the ozone bordering the balcony. Stiles turned his whole body around to face Peter, watching as the wolf’s neon blue eyes faded back to Peter’s pale blue. Taking Peter’s face in his hands, Stiles met it still confused stare, “I know nobody has ever thought of protecting you, at least not without wanting anything in return but… You’re mine to protect just like my dad is. You two are the only family I have and whatever little I can do to keep you safe, I will. Besides… This is as much my home as the Stilinski house is and both you and it are mine to protect.”_

_Stiles frowned and stared at his pale hands as they traveled down Peter’s neck, to rest on his collarbone, “I always use my power to save Scott and the others… This time I’m doing this for me.” He looked back up at Peter’s eyes with a devilish glint, “I’m not a Halliwell, no bad will come from me using my Spark for self-gain. Call me selfish.”_

_Peter smirked, getting the reference. Well, one would if their beau drilled into them every movies and series imaginable for the sole purpose of references. He swallowed thickly when Stiles pressed a finger against his pulse, Peter’s heart was racing with emotions. He raised a hand to halt the movement of Stiles’ fingers against his collarbone and brought the Spark’s hands up to his lips, placing a kiss on each palm before looking back up at Stiles’ whiskey colored eyes. “Thank you.” He whispered, filling the words with as much emotion as he could so Stiles could truly understand what he was thanking him for…_

_And he did._

_For Stiles stared at him for a moment, eyes wide, chest moving frantically up and down as he panted out quiet short breaths. Peter smiled, an actual smile that he reserved only for Stiles, and stood, using the hands he still held in his to take Stiles with him and bring him to his feet. Once standing, Peter brought one of Stiles’ hands to his still rapidly beating heart. He himself had no idea why this gesture from Stiles affected him so but he was deeply touched by it._

_Staring down into his boy’s eyes, Peter whispered, for the first time, the words that he had been too scared to say but was now confident that he could mean them with his very being and in each syllable and not be afraid of rejection because even if rejection came, he would not be afraid to embrace it because it would not make a difference. It would not change how he felt. It was too late to go back now and while he promised himself to wait two more months until Stiles turned 18—just as he has been waiting before sleeping with him—, he could bite them back no more._

_With one of Stiles’ hands to his heart, the other held in his and his beautiful boy staring deep into his eyes, Peter’s tongue loosened._

_“I love you, Mieczyslaw.”_

*~~~~~~*

Peter could still remember the way Stiles’ eyes widened before he chewed him off for using that name. He chuckled to himself.

“Peter!” He came back to reality to find all eyes still on him, it was Derek who had spoken. “Well? Where exactly do you plan on taking them?”

Peter smiled and looked back at the twins. 

_Yes… our little wolf-sparks will be safe there, darling._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did anyone catch that Halliwell reference? A million dollars for whoever got it without googling it hehe! 
> 
> Oki, doke! I'm tired so this is the only chapter for today. I really, really hope you enjoyed it and I will see you tomorrow.  
> Lots of love and stay safe, munchkins.  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rescue gang makes final preparation, emotional goodbyes are shared and off they go...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm... So most of the angst starts right about here. It's to be expected, I did say it was coming. Nothing excessive, you'll survive. 
> 
> Please enjoy!  
> Onward!

**Beacon Hills  
Peter's Apartment**

John walked slowly into the apartment he’d only ever seen from afar before. He didn’t know that this belonged to Peter but he’d camped out here on multiple occasions for Stiles’ protection. About three months before he left, Stiles moved out here… Told John that he’d gotten an apartment and that he needed to be by himself for a while. 

Having said that, he refused to tell John where the apartment was and none of the others knew too as they always came looking for him at the house. John supposed Stiles not telling him where he lived was because he didn’t want the others to get it out of his father. 

But John tailed Stiles once and let his son lead him here… He’d respected his privacy by not following him inside, though. Knowing Stiles was safe and had a place to stay was enough for him. But he’d wondered how Stiles could afford such an expensive place as it was very evident from the outside the hotel that the apartments are expensive and the interior confirmed that.

“The bedrooms are upstairs, you can take whichever one you like, I locked the main bedroom so, it’ll be easy to find one that’s not mine.” Peter mumbled to John as he motioned for the bellhop to place the box with the twins’ toys and other necessities on the mahogany table in the living room. 

They had decided to accompany John and the twins to his hotel after all. To ensure a safe journey and to scan the area around and inside the building. Extra precaution, that Isaac suggested before Peter had the chance to.

John turned to him with a frown but before he could say anything Cora came strolling in, “You know, uncle Alpha Peter—” 

Peter sighed, “Cora—”

“No, no, listen. You really need to work on a different style of theme for different hotel apartments. Otherwise you might as well put a big ass _‘Peter Hale’s Apartment Building’_ on every single one of them, because at this point, I’m pretty sure that—"

“Cora, where are my children?” 

Cora gave him an amused smirk, “Erica and Lydia are showing them off to the front desk staff as their adorable niece and nephew, wouldn’t even let me hold them,” She pouted, then frowned, “Isn’t it weird how quickly we’ve all become attached to the twins? It’s like they’re magnet or something.” She omitted mentioning how it was weird that the twins were comfortable around them, they were after all strangers. But she knew kids were naïve. Wolf kids hardly ever are though. 

Peter ignored that. Of course, everyone would be drawn to the twins, they are Stiles’. “I thought Derek and Isaac were bringing them up.” 

Isaac walked in then with a scowl on his face, “Lydia and Erica stole them before we could react.” He growled, dropping on the couch and crossing his arms with a pout. “Crazy blondes.”

Cora shook her head and patted him on the shoulder, “It’s okay buddy, I’m sure you’re still their favorite uncle.” 

A loud shriek of laughter rang through from the hallway, it’s owner paddling in on small legs a moment later, running as fast as her small legs could carry her, Erica on her tail. Petra spotted Peter and ran straight for him, “Daddy hide me!” She shrieked, already attempting to climb Peter’s legs as soon as she reached them. 

Peter couldn’t stop the snort that escaped him but he did bend down to pick her up and hold her away from Erica’s grabby hand and spinning with her to use his body as a shield from Erica, his Beta playing along and pouting once met with Peter’s back. “No fair! Where did Petra go?!” 

“I’m right here!” Petra shrieked, peeking over Peter’s shoulder with a grin. 

The Alpha rolled his eyes fondly, “See, now she knows where you are, monkey.” He tickled her ribs, causing her to shriek and squeal. John watched the scene with a keen expression, wishing his son was here to see it. Seeing his look, Peter dropped Petra on Isaac’s lap, only to stop the wolf from pouting because it was annoying! Not because he found it cute the way they both grinned and clung to each other. Not at all. He frowned when his son didn’t appear, along with his nephew and the Banshee. “Where’s Claudie?” He asked Erica. 

“Derek went to get them snacks from the vending. Lydia tagged.” 

Peter rolled his eyes because they brought snacks over from the Stilinski house – for the twins – but he supposed since he doesn’t know what’s in his cabinets, it wouldn’t hurt to get something of the twins’ own choosing. If only to keep them occupied. His eyes drifted around to the rest of the apartment, nostalgia hitting him like a brick. 

He walked over to the balcony doors and pushed aside the curtains, looking out at the balcony and seeing Stiles. The Spark turned to give him with a bright smile, then nodded him over, Peter smiled, tempted to go out to him but… He knew his Spark wasn’t really there. Pouting, the mirage of Stiles shrugged and turned back to staring at the view of park and lake in the distance, before drifting from existence.

Peter sighed, a deep frown set on his face, “I’ll find you darlin'. And I’ll bring you home.” 

*~***~*

**_*Later*_ **

The gang gathered in Peter’s living room, ready to depart. Derek sighed and nodded. “Alright, quick run through.” 

“I take Peter, Boyd and Erica to the Nemeton and we map out the perimeter for placement.” Lydia started.

“You and I go and uhm… _parley…_ with Scott’s pack?” Isaac added.

“Yeah, that would be it, Kira and I didn’t exactly leave things on a good note the last time we were there so…” Lydia’s chest tightened at the thought of her friend, she hoped Kira was okay. 

“Yeah, and now that they’ve lost two members of their pack, they’ll definitely blame us for it.” Isaac mumbled. 

“Enough…” Derek sighed. “Okay. Cora you—” 

“Stay here with the twins and the Sheriff.” His sister responded. It was something decided on the trip over, that John would be better with someone looking out for him as he looks out for the twins.

Derek nodded, “Alright. Time to go, I guess. John? Any question?” 

The Sheriff’s brows furrowed in thought. “You’re sure there’s nothing I can do? I’m not completely helpless, even in a supernatural fight.” He gestured to the gun at his belt.

“If anything happens to us—mainly Derek and Isaac, of course—, you’re Petra and Claudie’s legal guardian. We need you just as safe as they are and Cora will help if anything happens.” Peter stated, receiving a determined nod from his niece.   
John’s eyes widened; he doesn’t remember mentioning that Stiles assigned him legal guardian if anything happened. “How did you—” 

“I know, Stiles.” Of course, he knew that he would easily be able to gain custody of his own children if it fell to John—if something ever happened to Derek and Isaac— as their father. But he doubted he’d have to, and he wouldn’t disregard Stiles’ wishes by taking them from John, unless John handed custody over to him. 

John stared at him for a long while before nodding. “Okay. I guess you guys better go tell the twins you’re leaving then. You’re not getting off that easily.” He added when they opened their mouths to protest. 

Isaac shared a look with Derek, then looked over to Peter, “Uhm, we’ll go first so you can…” He trailed off. Peter nodded and disappeared off upstairs to his bedroom, he had something to retrieve.

*~***~*

When Peter first walked into his bedroom, he was surprised to find that Stiles’ scent was fresh. A couple of days old, but much fresher than years. 

He went over to the bed, touching one of the pillows with his fingertips and Stiles’ scent rose from it. He had been here before he was taken… The place was clean. Peter’s eyes ran through the space, his nose telling him the first thing Stiles touched to the last. He went over to the dresser, Stiles’ last destination and picked up the picture that held most of his scent. It was one of Stiles himself, he’d taken it when his Spark was laughing at something at a comment he’d made. Eyes closed and his sparkly whites on display.

He was still staring fondly at the picture when a knock came from the door minutes later, it was Cora. “Uncle Peter?” She walked up behind him, looking at the picture he held. “You know… It’s kinda weird that you fell in love with someone my age but… I don’t know… It’s really not at the same time?”

Peter turned to her with a smile, “Fortunately for me, we don’t choose our mates…” Peter highly doubted he would have been smart enough to know Stiles would make the best mate for him otherwise. A great and valuable packmate and Emissary, yes… But he probably would have overlooked him as a mate.

Cora snorted, “Yeah, well, hopefully I win the lottery on that one, but since you got mated to the royal prince of all legend, I’d say you beat us all in that game.” Peter smirked but said nothing, Cora could see the worry in his eyes. “You’re concerned…” She observed “You’re hardly ever concerned.” 

“I’ve hardly ever had to go into battle with caution.” Peter frowned, “I have a responsibility now. Two of them.” 

Cora’s eyes widened, “You’ve _always_ had a responsibility, uncle Peter, to _us_!” 

“You’re grown Cora and you’ve never needed me not since—” 

“I ran; I _know._ ” Cora always felt bad for running on the night her family died but, she was a kid and she was scared, what was she supposed to do? 

Peter sighed, “I was going to say since you lost your parents, pup. You took care of yourself well and now you’re all grown, you don’t need me or even Derek, you’re capable but…” 

Cora sighed, well, she really didn’t want to have to do this but… “Well… Not that I’m saying something _will_ happen but if something _does_ happen to you or Stiles or both… At least Petra and Claudie won’t suffer much because they won’t remember much.” 

Peter frowned, “That’s exactly what I don’t want. They can live without me; they’ve only known me a day and a half but they _need_ Stiles… If nothing else, I have to make sure _he_ comes home to them.”

Cora nodded, “Okay, yeah… You do that. But if you don’t come back home with him, I will resurrect you just to kill you slowly, deal? Good, now let’s go.” She didn’t bother waiting for him, strutting out of the room without looking back. She was irritated.   
Sighing, Peter put down the picture of Stiles and made to follow his niece out of the room. But a gleam caught his eye. Over by the window, a chain was hanging on the ledge. His eyes widened when he saw what hung at the end of it. He went and removed it from the handle, it was his ring… After all these years Stiles kept it. 

Peter’s heart broke with guilt. I should have come back… If only I knew, I’d have been back in a heartbeat, sweetheart. He thought as he clasped the chain around his neck and tugged it into his shirt. Peter never cried sympathy but he felt broken at that moment because he hurts everything he touches. Even in his absence. He felt toxic.   
Calming his emotions, he calmed himself enough to walk back down stairs.

*~***~*

When he got downstairs, it was just John, Cora and the twins. He guessed the others left already so he didn’t ask, instead he silently stared at the twins from where they sat on the couch, silently conversing with one another. He took a moment to drink the scene in… 

John walked over to him, “It’s not easy is it?” Peter shook his head, receiving a nod from John. “Spoiler alert, Hale, you’ll have many of these and each one is harder than the last… Just be sure to be here for _all_ of them, I’m not having my grandchildren grow up without a father. You came back and came into their lives, you better stay, or I _will_ shoot you again.” With that he walked off to the kitchen, where Cora was doing whatever. John has never met so many people in a span of three days that he had to share a house with. He sighed; this was his life now.

Peter shook his head, how many more threats would he receive today? Well, considering he was going to be seeing Scott and Allison—at some point— he supposed he shouldn’t stop counting yet. Walking over to the couch, he sat on the mahogany coffee table in front of it, facing his children. He sat there for a moment, not knowing what to say, just looking at them converse. 

They turned synchronically to him first, their brows drawn together in faces that looked like they were about to cry but Peter read it as concern, “Daddy? What’s wrong?” Claudie asked.

Peter frowned, “What do you mean, sweetheart?” Either he didn’t notice that he’s only been using endearments for the twins—in place of their actual names— or he was aware of the fact and doesn’t care. 

Petra’s frown deepened, Peter smirked a bit, seeing a bit of Cora in her. Yep, she was definitely more him than her brother. “Daddy feels weird… _Sad._ ” Her eyes watered as Peter’s emotions overwhelmed her. 

Peter’s eyes widened, he moved closer, “No, no, no, don’t cry, sweet girl. Daddy’s fine, I’m okay, little monkey.” He wiped a stray tear from Petra’s face and flashed his winner smile, willing his emotions back and blocking them. A little trick he learned when he was comatose with nothing else to do in that rotten hospital. Looking at Claudie, he saw his eyes shining with unshed tears. “I’m fine, see?” He smiled, knowing that if they were anything like Stiles they would smile back as he always did when Peter smiled. And they did. Stiles did say he had a contagious smile whenever he _did_ smile.

He could have kicked himself for not remembering that they were both Spark and wolves, they probably felt everything twice as much as an ordinary wolf cub and since they were so young, they had no idea how to differentiate others’ emotions from their own so they can’t exactly control their own when hit with another’s. Peter decided to make his exit quick. 

“Okay. So, Daddy has to go away for a while and you’ll be staying with your Papa,” He’d heard them call John that a few times, “And Aunt Cora.” 

“Where are you going?” Petra asked.

“Can we come?” added Claudie. 

Peter looked at his son, “Afraid not, little wolf. But I’ll be back before you know it, and so will Tata, okay?” 

“Promise?” The twins asked in unison. 

Peter froze. No, he never. Peter didn’t make promises because he believes that making a promise is a bad omen. Saying ‘I promise’ to something is like guaranteeing failure in it and he never made a promise he didn’t keep… He paused. That’s right… He knew he might regret this and this might be first one he’s ever broken but if anything, it’ll give him incentive to fight harder. 

“I promise.”

Claudie and Petra turned to grin at each other, then to Peter. “Okay, Daddy.” They said. Peter shook his head and went to kneel in front of the couch.

“Can I get a hug?” He asked. The twins nodded and happily threw their arms around him, Peter felt lightheaded for a moment but he supposed it was all the emotions. Holding his children close, he kissed each of their heads, taking in their ozone tinged scents and sighing in content. They smelled so much like Stiles it made his head spin. Laying one last kiss on each again, he stepped back and stood. Sighing again, he ran his hands through their different colored hairs and peeled himself away from them. 

Cora met him by the door, “You okay?” 

Peter smirked, “When am I ever not?” 

His niece rolled her eyes, “Cut the tough guy act, your eyes are all wet. Must really hurt, huh?” 

“What?” 

“Falling in love twice? I mean, this one is a completely different field and it just dropped on you like the ice bucket challenge, which makes it worse I guess.” Cora smiled sadly at her uncle. She silently prayed that the day she starts a family, it will be in a new world, definitely very far away from Hell’s Gate. Peter remained silent, as Cora knew he would so she spoke up again. “You could have at least told them you love them.” 

Peter shook his head with a small smirk, “You know me better than that.” Cora nodded. He knew Peter never said he loved someone before a fight, it was like saying goodbye to them. Something he passed on to Derek without the latter even realizing it. Peter did it when they were children and he had to go away for pack business, he’d tell them he loved them when he got back.

“Okay… Good. You can tell them when you get back… Both of you.” She pulled him in for a brief hug, “Be careful out there.” She pulled back to grab his shoulders while glaring into his eyes, “Necromancy is a very expensive spell to buy, uncle Peter, don’t make me have to bankrupt you.” 

All Peter could do was laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeesh... did I tug a few strings? I certainly hope... I just realized how i might be horrible at writing angst, I'm a happy-go-merry person myself, angst is not my forte sooooo... Yeah, this might be a little subpar to incredibly heavy angst fanfics that you're used to (or not), but that wasn't a large theme here. Or maybe it was (-_-') I don't know! 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this! Sorry for mistakes and I will see you in the next chapter.   
> Thanks for reading!   
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so it begins...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop! So it's started! I wont keep you.
> 
> Grab your popcorn, soda, candy, whatever and enjoy the show...  
> Onward!

**Beacon Hills**

Peter silently got in behind the wheel and peeled away from the parking lot, ignoring the stares of Erica and Lydia… Thankfully Boyd was sitting in front with him and the man never made Peter feel like he had to say anything to him. “We’re going back to the Sheriff’s house and we’ll retrace your steps by foot from there.” 

Lydia nodded but remained silent. Her eyes traveled outside the window when something fast passed her periphery vision. She frowned at the scenery as it passed, hoping to see it again, but nothing. She seriously hoped she wasn’t going crazy.

They got to the Stilinski house relatively fast, parked and headed straight for the woods behind the house. 

**~~***~~**

**The Preserve**

Walking for about 5 minutes without conversation, Lydia felt awkward, so she decided to ask something that’s been on her mind for a long time. “So… How did you guys become a pack?” Last she remembered, Erica and Boyd hated Peter just as much as the rest of them.

The blonde shrugged, “Peter found us in New Mexico… Boyd and I had been running from our _new_ pack.” 

Lydia raised a brow, “Another one?” 

“Yep… Turns out when you’ve survived both the Argents and the Alpha Pack, people tend to think you’re the new encyclopedia on how to kill them.” Erica mussed lowly before shaking her head. “Anyway, the pack that invited us to join hadn’t exactly had the best intentions—”

“Like Derek?” Lydia asked, causing silence to stretch out longer than she had hoped. “I mean, I know he _technically_ saved you from your problems but… that’s why you ran, right? He wasn’t the best Alpha. Even _I_ could tell and I wasn’t even in his pack…” 

“Derek had his moments.” Boyd grumbled, “He just didn’t know how to be a _good_ Alpha but he had potential overall.” 

Lydia gave Peter a side-eye, “Yeah, but even I have to admit we’d all be dead had it not been for Peter and Stiles’ sharp wits.” Peter raised a brow at her, surprised at the underlying complement. Lydia turned back to the path ahead, “I still hate you for doing this to me… But I have to at least consider that if not you, then somebody else. I highly doubt I would have survived four years of not getting bitten by some wolf or another—” 

“Stiles did.” Erica smirked. “Maybe if you’d have stopped acting like an airheaded shallow popular drama queen and started treating him like a person sooner, he might have taught you a thing or two.” 

Lydia glared at her “Says the rabid puppy that hit him over the head with a part of Roscoe.” 

Erica glared and bared her human teeth “I apologized for that! And we actually got along swimmingly soon thereafter because I saw that he was someone very valuable to form a friendship with, _especially_ after he saved us a bajillion times. Which is more than I can say for _you._ ”

The Banshee pursed her lips. Yes, she built a reputation and she basked in the attention, sue her for being the girl that every guy wanted to date and every girl wanted to be. It was a weakness of hers and she couldn’t be seen socializing with Scott and Stiles, the school’s asthmatic and the Sheriff’s kid. She was the bad girl, she hung with the popular crowd and the popular crowd consisted of bad boys, not geeks who benched lacrosse. 

And if playing at being an idiot was the price she had to pay, she saw it as being a worthy sacrifice, especially considering she was only stupid in person, but not on paper. Her grades never dropped; she wasn’t that desperate. She needed to get into a prestigious college after all and she couldn’t very well let Jackson’s idiocy and the school’s standard of a stereotypical popular – strawberry – blonde girl cloud her judgment where her grades were concerned.

“What happened to Miss Martin, over here, was inevitable. Lydia was born into the shadow world. Whether by bite or time, she would have come into her powers. It’s called _manifestation_ for us born with these curses.” Peter gave her a knowing look, “Set in stone, you would have eventually awakened the Banshee within you. Whether by grief or pain…” He gave a single shouldered shrug, “I just sped up the process because I needed to make use of your abilities.” 

Lydia frowned at him, “How did you know?” 

Peter raised a brow in thought, “I didn’t at first, I’m not that knowledgeable. Biting you was assuredly an attempt to grow my pack and to bring Stiles over to my side as I knew he fancied you,” He smirked, remembering the first time he touched his Spark. Stiles looked gorgeous even then with the buzz cut. Even without knowing then that Stiles was his mate, he felt a deep want for him. He saw Stiles a great value, a treasure that the rest of Beacon Hills saw as valuing nothing… Peter saw potential, he knew that Stiles would do great things and he wanted him for himself. “It wasn’t until my bite didn’t take, yet I still created a pack bond with you, did I feel it.” 

“Feel what?” Lydia was eager to know how exactly Peter knew she would be able to bring him back from the dead. 

“Your connection to death… Something I know very well. Your soul echoed it, even in your liveliness.” 

Lydia stared at him for a long while. She let herself believe a long time ago that Peter wasn’t human for all the things he’s done but… Looking at the man right now, she wondered what changed. He was calmer… more _human_. She supposed it was all Stiles’ doing but, she also had to wonder if maybe, _just_ maybe, Peter had merely been hiding this side of himself in order to appear a monster because the rest of the world saw him as such… It’s been known to happen. People become what other people think they are and circumstances create monsters. Peter was no different. And at least he had a reasonable reason for going insane as he briefly had as opposed to people who kill for fun. 

“Is that why you helped Erica and Boyd?” All eyes turned to her, but she kept her gaze on Peter. “Because you wanted a pack?” 

“He saved us because he wanted to.” Boyd answered. “He didn’t _have_ to save us but he did and he gave us a choice to leave if we wanted to. We’re the ones who decided to stay.” 

“I did it for Stiles.” Peter mumbled, “After these two slipped out of town, Stiles was in shambles. He prayed every day for their safety and when I saw them in need… I thought only of him. And of course, of the part Derek played in bringing them into all of this. Of course, they grew on me over time but… I cannot deny I would not have interfered with their affairs had I had no connection to them whatsoever, I would never paint myself such a saint.” 

Lydia nodded. This was a more reasonable and acceptable reason. Peter felt responsible, not nice. And while Lydia believed that Peter might have only done it to grow a pack, she highly doubts Boyd would lie about Peter giving them an out. They were obviously very happy in Peter’s pack, much happier and healthier than they seemed with Derek… no offence to him, as he too has grown into a better wolf. But Lydia could see the obvious connection between Peter and these two… They were close and connected, like a pack should be. 

She paused when she spotted the tree, they found Stiles’ phone next to. “Okay, this is where we found his phone… We moved west from here.” She pointed in the direction.

Peter nodded, “Can you sense anything from here?” Lydia paused and closed her eyes, trying to see if she can hear the Nemeton calling to her but to no avail. She sighed and shook her head no. Peter frowned “Alright. We keep going west and hopefully we’ll pick something up along the way.” 

And so west they went. Lydia was worried because they were attacked by the wraiths the first time they took this path but… since it was daytime and the eclipse was still at least two hours away, she doubted the wraiths would attack again, since they only struck in the dark. Her eyes were focused on the path ahead when something flashed by her vision again. She froze, her eyes going wide. “Did you see that?”

The wolves paused, “See what?” 

Lydia narrowed her eyes, looking at the trees where the movement came from, but as she looked, it happened to her left between two different trees. “ _That_! Did you see that?! There’s something in the woods.” She whispered the last part. 

The wolves came up to flank her, “Is it the wraiths?” Erica asked. Lydia didn’t answer, merely kept her eyes open, trying to catch a good image of whatever it was that was dancing around. 

Peter’s eyes flashed red, “They are after Lydia still, if they can’t come themselves, they’ll send an agent. Be on your guard and be ready for anything.”

Lydia gasped and jumped a bit as the dark shadow figure stopped in the distance, seemingly looking right at them. It did look like one of the wraiths but… there was something different about it. It definitely didn’t seem hostile and while the others attacked head on, this one seemed to be moving away from them, almost as if wanting them to… 

“Who are you?!” Lydia yelled over, startling the wolves.

“Lydia… what—” Erica started by Lydia cut her off. 

“There’s someone standing over there.” She moved away from the circle created around her, to get a closer look at the faraway figure, “What do you want?!” The dark, cloaked figure’s head tilted to the side slowly and then back. Lydia frowned in confusion, “What?!” The gesture was repeated and Lydia finally got it, she was right. “I think it wants us to follow.” She whispered to the other three, not taking her eyes off the figure, she watched as it nodded in confirmation of her statement, wondering how it was able to hear her from that distance. 

Peter scowled, looking in the same direction as Lydia but seeing nothing. “What wants us to follow?” 

“I don’t—” Lydia paused, “It’s a shadow figure, like the wraiths but—” 

“Are you _insane_?!” Erica yelled, “Why would you wanna follow that thing?! They want you, remember? You’re basically ready to hand yourself over.” 

Lydia frowned, “It’s nothing like that, I…” She stared at the figure as it disappeared and reappeared between two different trees, almost in a glitch-like manner, like it couldn’t stay still. “It’s not moving the way the wraiths do and it doesn’t seem malevolent... I think it’s just a spirit.” 

“Erica’s right, Lydia,” Boyd muttered lowly, “It could just be an agent of the wraiths.”

“Or it could be trying to lead us to the Nemeton.” Again, the figure nodded slowly at Lydia’s words, then glitched again to a different shadow. Lydia finally turned to face the others, “I know it’s a long shot, but best-case scenario, we find the Nemeton a lot faster… Worst case: I get taken to wherever Stiles and Kira are and help them from that end. Besides, the wraiths still need to come back to this world to do the ritual, right?” She directed the last part to Peter.

The Alpha nodded, “They need the Nemeton.”

“Okay, great, well… Either way that’s where we’re going anyway so…” Lydia turned back to find the figure in the shadow it had taken up the first time. “Might as well follow that thing back to its master since we’ll be meeting him soon anyway.” 

Peter sighed, “Horribly bad idea but… sensible. Alright, lead the way.” If nothing else, Peter trusted Lydia’s judgement. Banshees can usually feel if a spirit is malevolent, if Lydia felt no animosity from this one, there might be some good to come of this. 

Lydia turned to give him a nod before turning to the dark figure, nodding to it too. “Alright… Take us to the Nemeton.” The figure disappeared in an instant, moving in a flurry of motions they were both close and far, showing Lydia the direction, it wanted her to follow. She frowned, “It’s taking us north.” She mumbled before breaking off in a sprint, followed closely by the wolves. 

*~***~*

They all ran, following Lydia’s direction as she changed from North to East North and then West… Soon, they found themselves at the edge of the woods, standing in front of a wall of Vernonia curtain creepers. Lydia could feel it, strong and resonating… The Nemeton was close.

“Well?” Erica asked, “Don’t tell me he/she/it wants us to go in there?” 

Knowing at Lydia would go through anyway, Peter stepped up quickly, pushed the green plants aside and stepped through, it was dark for a moment before he went through the second curtain and he froze… They were at a meadow. Much healthier than the woods, it looked like it belonged at the heart of a magical forest. It was a large field of greens, purples and whites and at the very center of the field sat a huge tree stump, with a bright small plant growing in the very center. He stared at it, vaguely registering as the others gasped in awe of the beautiful field. 

Lydia’s eyes were drawn to the figure across the field. She smiled and nodded in thanks before walking over to the Nemeton slowly. Reaching it, she felt an overwhelming urge to touch it… So, she did. She gasped and jumped back when a man appeared on the other side of the stump, offering her a polite smile. He was dressed weirdly, but he was also very handsome and very tall. 

Placing his right hand over his heart and giving a slight bow, he finally spoke. “An honor to make your acquaintance, Lady Lydia Martin. I thank you for placing your trust in me even when you had no place doing such.” 

Lydia’s eyes widened, okay so he talked old too. Older than Peter’s speech. “You’re the shadow?” The man nodded. “Who are you? Why help me?” 

“Er… Lydia?” Erica asked, now convinced that the Banshee has lost it all.

“I was sent by someone dear to you and while I would like to explain, I’m afraid time is of the essence… You are tasked with a very important mission, Lady Martin. Will you accept responsibility?” 

Lydia frowned, “Who sent you?” 

“Not the evil Wraith King if that is your concern.” 

“Then who?” Lydia asked. 

The man smiled, “All the answers you seek will be yours in time. For now, trust that I am not here as your enemy. I mean only to help… Place your hand on the Nemeton and you shall see.” 

Only hesitating for a moment, Lydia obliged and placed her hand on the tree stump again. She got pulled in for what felt like hours inside but when she opened her eyes again, only a few seconds had passed. She stumbled back with a gasp. 

“Lydia? What is it?” Peter asked. The man across Lydia smiled and disappeared. 

Lydia turned to the other three with wide eyes full of wonder, knowledge and realization, “I know what I must do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And what are your theories about that last line hmm? What do you think Lyds is about to do... Huuuuh? And who is the ghost of Nemeton present? Hehe! Okay, go find out in the next chapter. Or not... *wink wink* XD
> 
> Sorry for any mistakes and errors, hope you enjoyed the kick-off!  
> See you in the next chapter, lovelies!  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hmm... And thus begins the beginning of the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I realize that since I'm at danger of revealing spoilers in the chapter summary, I'm well off being incredibly vague, at the risk of sounding completely stupid... Yeah.
> 
> Phew! I'm tired. Last chapter for today! Enjoy!  
> Onward.

**Beacon Hills  
The Preserve**

Lydia took her shoes off and slowly climbed on top of the stump. Plucking the white flower in the center of the stump, she popped the few white gypsophila petals into her mouth and chewed slowly, pulling a face at the bitter taste. Swallowing thickly, she laid down on her back, she spread her arms out and straightened her legs, keeping them together so her body made a cross. She kept her eyes to the skies for a moment, the plant already taking effect. When her entire body became completely numb, she closed her eyes and breathed in deep, connecting to the energy of the Nemeton. 

Peter, Boyd and Erica sat off to the side, watching her quietly. “Any idea what she’s doing?” 

Peter shook his head, “Since she refused to say, there’s no way of telling.” The Alpha texted Derek the Nemeton coordinates, having received a text that they got through to Scott—barely— and that half of his remaining pack was already in the Preserve. He had a feeling that they would be there soon. Also, Lydia doing whatever she was, meant that they wouldn’t be making it to the loft, so instead, Derek and Isaac would fill in Scott’s pack and head their way as soon as they could. 

His phone rang, Derek’s name popping up. He sighed and hit the green button, “Don’t tell me you need my assistance negotiating.” 

“Perfectly fine. Scott’s agreed to work together mainly because he’s both half a pack down and he took instantly to the idea that the Wraiths might be after him. Martyr complex on high alert, he’s agreed to work as bait. We have the entire Preserve mapped out but the coordinates you gave me are new… In fact, they’re not on the map at all. How did _you_ find it?” Derek asked, sounding suspicious as all Hells. 

Yes, he remembers perfectly well that Peter worked with the Darach just to become an Alpha. But like every other time, he’s been mistaken about Peter since Lydia brought him back, Derek did not know exactly _why_ Peter worked with the Darach… 

“Lydia met a guide that led us here; sent by someone she assures us is not at all against us.” Peter answered simply, not at all offended by Derek’s tone anymore, he’d grown used to it long ago. “She’s currently using the Nemeton to do… something. Won’t tell us but she seems to know exactly what she’s doing and no, I’m not at all using her for my evil ways, now if you’d be so kind as to finish up over there, make your way over here as soon as possible.” He looked towards the skies, not that he could see much from inside the meadow“Time is of the essence.” 

Derek was quiet for a moment, “I know… Look, Peter—” 

“I’m not going to betray you, Derek. I’ve grown well past my quest for power, it’s not worth anything if I can’t have…” Peter paused, deciding to cut the conversation short, “All that matters to me now is my family. Whether that includes you or not will be entirely up to you but Stiles, Petra, Claudius and my pack are the only people that matter to me at present… I will _not_ betray them.” 

“Peter…” Lydia muttered, causing the wolf to turn to her with a raised brow. She still hadn’t moved from her position but her heartbeat indicated that she was back to reality.

“I have Boyd and Erica scouting the area, get Scott here as soon as you can.” Peter hung up and walked over to Lydia. Her eyes were still closed, breathing levelled, as if asleep. “Lydia?” 

“I need you to anchor me.” Lydia mumbled, lips barely moving. 

Peter frowned, “How?” Normally he’d ask more questions but time was not a luxury they had; they only had an hour before the eclipse connected. 

Lydia’s green eyes fluttered open, moving slowly to gaze up at Peter “You’re my sire. _Anchor_ me.” 

Peter’s brows furrowed. He understood but this was the first time Lydia agreed to the fact and Peter wondered why now. But again, he decided to act first and ask later. Walking around the large tree stump, he stood at Lydia’s head, noticing how vines now held her wrists and ankles to the stump. “Are you sure? You have to allow me in, if not, this will end badly for you.” 

“I’m not a wolf Peter, and yes, I’m sure.” Lydia closed her eyes again and raised her head so Peter could slip his hand under her neck. “Hurry.” 

“This will hurt… A lot. So, try to relax as much as possible and don’t move a muscle.” Peter slipped his hands down the back of Lydia’s neck. Using his left to balance the base of her skull, he slid his right lower until he reached her cervical vertebrae, allowing his claws to extend, Peter sank them deep into the area. Lydia hissed and thrashed a bit – as much as she could with the restraints on her— letting out a single quiet sob as tears ran down her temple. She blinked a few times before her eyes slid closed. 

Peter felt her consciousness slip away but her presence tied around him as she ventured deeper into the Nemeton’s consciousness. He felt the pack bond binding them tugged as she went on, wishing he could see what she was seeing but since what was happening was not withing Lydia’s head, he couldn’t pry in and see her thoughts. His eyes drifted close as he focused his entire concentration on keeping Lydia’s soul tied to the real world and reality disappeared. 

*~~**~~* 

_“Peter!”_

Peter’s eyebrows twitched; his ears felt like they were stuffed with cotton. He recognised Lydia’s voice, but opening his eyes seemed a difficulty that didn’t exist a moment ago. 

“—eter! Ge— up!” Lydia’s maffled voice appeared closer now and a little clearer but still not to his liking. Peter tried again to open his eyes; eyelids heavy with whatever it is that glued his eyes shut. “Goddamnit, Peter! _Wake up!_ ” A harsh slap landed on his face, successfully managing to unscrew his eyes. He sat up quickly, taking in his surroundings. “About time. What the hell are you doing here?!” 

Peter’s eyes widened, they were not in the meadow anymore, instead, they were in an entirely white room, save for the Nemeton stump that he was sitting on. Lydia was free, kneeling besides him, eyes hard with a glare. The wolf’s eyes followed the Nemeton’s roots to where they disappeared into the white ground. “Where are we?” 

Lydia sucked her teeth, “We’re inside the Nemeton and you weren’t supposed to be here, so _why are_ you here, hmm?” Peter stood and got off the stump, Lydia following close behind. “Peter! This is bad, you don’t have an anchor in the real world, you can’t be here without one.” 

Peter looked down at the area where he felt the same tug from back at the meadow. He sported the red string coming from his wrist and followed it over to Lydia’s wrist. “You’re anchoring me.” 

Lydia stepped up beside him “That’s not how it works. You need to have a conscious anchor to the real world. You’re mine but… Who’s your?” 

“Okay, can we figure this out after we get out?” Peter snapped, “What are you doing here? Obviously, whatever it is was strong enough to drag me in too, so, I suppose I’m here to help.” He finished with a sigh.

Lydia frowned, “No, Peter, I don’t think you understand. Without an anchor tying you to the real world, neither of us will be able to go back.”

Peter paused, “I got that part, Lydia. But there are many ways to kill a cat. Since I’m here already, you might as well make use of me. We’ll do our part here and cross the problematic bridge when we get to it. Now, again, time is not our friend. _What_ were you doing in here?” 

Lydia stared at him for a long while. Okay, so people can change and Peter was now the posture child for ‘absolute turnaround’. Pondering his words, even _she_ had to admit that it would do them no good to stand around panicking. Now she remembers why she’s admired Peter even as she hated the man, he never panicked. Not once. He’s always the level headed one, the calm presence that everyone needed. 

The Banshee nodded and brushed past Peter, “Alright, let’s go.” 

“Where?” 

Lydia sighed in frustration and swirled around to stare him down, “Okay. Peter, the reason I wanted to do this alone was because I wanted to avoid answering too many questions. You want answers, follow me.” That said, she turned pack to her unmarked path. Peter sighed and obliged. 

Well, no turning back now.

*~~**~~*  
**~~***~~** 

**Wraith Realm**

Void opened his eyes with a glare, he was on high alert, almost forgetting where he was. He’d only taken rest for what his brain told him was only two hours but his body said it was longer. His memory clicked then… He was on bloody _Iskra._ Sitting up slowly, he glared at the darkness of his room, knowing very well he wasn’t alone. Another moment and his eyes landed the figure sitting on the couch. 

“ _Stop_ that. It’s creepy.” He snapped slowly and barely above a whisper. 

“Watching over you in your sleep is… creepy?” Sebastian asked, opening his eyes. Void marvelled at the glow; it was like being watched by a cat in the dark. 

Void grumbled and slid out of bed. He frowned at the height; his assigned bed was lower than this. Allowing the spark to pool in his eyes, he scanned the room with his night vision. His bright purple glare landed on Sebastian’s green. “If you ever move me from my quarters without my knowledge and permission again… I’ll hurt you.” 

Sebastian chuckled and stood, easily navigating the dark of his room to reach Void. Closing the space between them, he smirked down at Void’s cold glare which he found absolutely attractive with the tousled bed hair. The Dark Spark had his chin down, glaring up at him through his long lashes. Sebastian’s smirk widened, “And what makes you think I wouldn’t enjoy it?” 

“Masochist?” 

“On occasion.” The Wraith King raised his hands to trace his fingers over Void’s exposed collarbone, then his pulse, until finally, he slid his hand to the back of Void’s neck, slowly playing with the hairs at his nape before gripping the back of his neck. He was a little irritated that Void barely reacted, so he used his free hand to nudge his chin up so their eyes could meet steadily. “Pain can also be pleasurable…” He dipped his head low to whisper against Void’s lips, “If you make it.” 

Void smirked and blinked bashfully before closing the remaining space between their lips. The kiss started slow for a fraction of a second before Void slid his hand into Sebastian’s hair, gripping it tightly, causing the wraith to groan and become more aggressive in the kiss. With his free hand, Void gripped Sebastian’s waist, just below his ribs and dug his nails in deep, emitting another groan from the other man. Opening his eyes, Void gazed at Sebastian’s closed lid’s… _Good,_ the man was enjoying himself. 

“Argh!” Sebastian dropped to one knee before Void, who peered down at him with a bored expression. Before brushing past him with a quiet scoff.

“I hope _that_ was pleasurable.” He mumbled, walking into the large bedroom to relieve himself. 

Sebastian chuckled a bit and winced at the pain that went through his lip and ribs. The damn Spark bit his lip hard and while he was concentrating on that pain, Void had shocked his ribs, a shock that travelled to his spine. It hurt like nothing Sebastian has ever felt before and not at all pleasurable but he liked the fact that Void was not afraid of hurting him. Finally, his life was getting interesting. He dissipated his body, becoming one with the darkness in the room, leaving his solid form would help heal him faster. 

A few minutes later, Void emerged from the bathroom in nothing but his underwear. When he scanned the dark room and didn’t find the King in sight, a satisfied smirk tugged at his lips. He quietly walked over to the black and gold dressing screen in the corner of the room, where his clothes had been handing. Walking up behind it, he started slowly dressing up in his crimson dress shirt with gold paisley print of a flower he did not recognize. The gold flower vined down the sides of the body of his shirt, winded up and over his shoulders to stop halfway over his biceps. Void had to admit the shirt looked great, and it felt expensively silky soft against his skin. 

“So, you going to pull yourself together anytime soon?” He commented lightly as he put on his black—tailored… like the shirt… asshole—black slacks and his round nosed deep red mahogany colored leather shoes. Apparently, taking over the world was a formal event. He opened the dressing screen and walked out from behind it, walking over to flick on the lights. Then he turned to face the rest of the room, “If you’re done moping, I need a hand?” He bounced the golden—real gold—cufflinks in his hand with a raised brow. 

It was quiet for a moment before a black smoke drifted from under the bed, swirling before Void for a moment before solidifying into the tall and proud king of darkness. Void smirked up at him, receiving a glare in return. Sebastian grabbed his chin, “Make not a habit of attacking me, little Spark, my patience is only _so_ everlasting.” 

Void rolled his eyes, “Please, I hardly attacked you and since we’re throwing rules around, how about don’t touch me without my consent? _My_ patience is only so everlasting.” 

Sebastian hummed quietly and took the cufflinks from Void’s palm, slowly linking his cuffs. Then he turned around slowly and went to put on his own clothes, not at all bashful about having an audience. His shirt was exactly the same as Void’s only black and printed in silver. He turned to Void and handed him his own cufflinks so the Spark could return the favor. Void silently obliged and peered up at him through his lashes as soon as he was done, standing on his toes he quickly pulled Sebastian’s injured lower lip between his and sucked a little, then he lightly smacked a chaste kiss upon them and pulled back. 

“There. Now you can stop pouting.” Sebastian paused for a moment, his lip tingling before the pain disappeared, with it the dark bruise that lay there. Void gave him a blatant look, “You’re welcome.” His tone hiked at the end so it came off as more of a question. 

“Hn,” Sebastian grunted and headed for the door, “I don’t see how I owe you thanks when you’re the one who injured me to begin with.” He opened the door and motioned for Void to walk out first. 

“You could just do it to be nice.” The mere idea sounded absurd to him. Why would Sebastian be nice to anyone?

As soon as they walked out, hooded cloaks were placed over their shoulders, the golden strings tied in the front. Void’s cloak was a red velvet, with a large hood, big enough to his entire face should he so see fit. The flower on his shirt was now large and proudly laying on his back in gold. As they closed it, the cloak completely covered him up, closing in the front, leaving nothing but his head visible… He liked it. He generally didn’t like much but… he liked the cloak.

Sebastian’s own cloak was a dark green velvet with satin green lining. He would have gone with his royal cloak but he wanted something lighter that he could easily move through and in. The cloaks were very long, dragging on the ground where they stood, but with the grace both possessed, they had no complaints and/or worries. Void’s dragged longer but he supposed it was just a height miscalculation as he was literally the shortest person there, while Sebastian’s only swept the ground.

As soon as the cloaks were on, Sebastian removed his arm from within the cloak and placed a hand on Void’s back, leading him to the main hall. “You will first be formally introduced to the kingdom—or those that are here—and then, we will proceed to the ceremony.” 

Void remained silent; he had no interest in knowing Sebastian’s kingdom and his loyal subjects, but he supposed stepping stone and all that. “Is Deaton finished with the preparations?” 

“Everything is set. All that is left is your rise, my love.” 

*~***~*

After a long day of meeting new people, Void had had enough and almost killed one man who had dared to flirt with him. Physically. Despite the fact that he was supposedly going to wed their king, there were many in attendance who made such proud offers to him that it was laughable. Like he would settle for less than the man who took down the Queen of Light herself. 

But after _torturous_ mingling, Deaton appeared and gave a signal for the start of ceremony. And so, they excused themselves from the party and disappeared off to the extraction room. Void smirked at all the creatures that growled at him. He recognized most of them. 

Jackson, Theodore, Ethan, Deucalion—he paused and smirked at the now seeing man who glared daggers at him— a witch, a spark, a Druid and a few other creatures. Void’s eyes scanned the room, “The Banshee and True Alpha are still unattainable, I see.” 

“Yes, my incompetent Shadow Walkers assure me that those two are very well protected.” Sebastian answered. The shadow walkers being those guards that do not form part of his personal Shadow Guards, but are merely royal guards who have the ability to use wraith magic, as opposed to those who cannot. The Shadow Walkers are those who can cross over to Earth and back in a short period of time.

Void hummed, “Hn… not for long.” 

Deaton walked up to them, holding many different vials of glowing Spark energies that were extracted from the creatures on the wall. “I’ve completed the liquefying process. Just drink them and you’re good to go.” He handed the vials over to Sebastian, who took the orange one and handed it over to Void. 

Void rolled his eyes, like he needed a Darach to liquefy spark energy for him to ingest and absorb it. Still, it made the absorption process much faster but… He could have done without either way. He silently took the vial he knew to contain the Foxfire. He was the only one who could wield it so he made no complaints when Sebastian placed the rest in his pocket dimension.

“It’s almost time.” Deaton announced. “The Blood Moon should be connecting in right about… _Now._ ”

Void felt it too, the air became lighter where he stood. Sebastian took a deep breath and hummed in satisfaction, “Finally!” He turned to wave his shadow guards off and without a word, they slunk off to the battle field. Sebastian then turned to Void, “The time has finally come. Are you ready to rule the world, love?” He held out a hand. 

Void smirked and took his offered hand. “It has been a long time coming, hasn’t it?” Sebastian smirked back and pulled him close, wrapping an arm around his waist to press their bodies together. 

“It certainly has.” With that Sebastian enveloped Void in his darkness and drifted them out of the castle, across the land and solidified them in front of the Transporter’s Gate. Void frowned at the weird sensation of having his body travel like air, it made him queasy for a moment before he felt himself settle again. There were many guards waiting there when they arrived. All waiting for the perfect moment before they could go through. Sebastian faced them, “Any resistance is to be met with force. We take our lives back; we save our kingdom.” He spoke, barely above a whisper, “Fight for your future.” 

His response was a single stomp by each of his soldiers. He nodded to them and turned back to face the date/door. They waited silently for ten more minutes until the door opened, a watery texture that showed a land covered in red on the other side. But as it was, only Void would be able to go through in his real form, the others wouldn’t survive because of the sun part of the eclipse. It was time to change Void to share his essence.

Sebastian turned to him, “Are you ready?” Void nodded. Sebastian took out a dark vial from his pocket dimension, opened it and downed it. After swallowing thickly, he took Void’s head in his hands and tipped his head back, then he tipped his own head back, mouth wide open. Black and red smoke shot from his mouth like a comet and danced in the air for a moment before shooting down into Void. He gasped, spasmed and slumped in Sebastian’s arms, the Wraith King caught him quickly, watching his face as his lids and the area under his eyes darkened. Dark veins cracked their way down from his eyes, all the way down to where his cheekbones ended at his cheeks, then his eyes snapped open. 

Sebastian smirked at the blackness of his large irises. Of course, he knew the Spark lay underneath but the purple tint was completely gone, instead replaced with a crimson tint to the black. His irises were large enough that his whites were only at the corners of his eyes. Void straightened and pulled away from Sebastian, tilting his head in wonder as he felt out the new power flowing through him… and he was using the term ‘new’ very loosely. 

“You gave me the Nogistsune’s power.” He noted lowly, flexing his fist.

Sebastian smirked, “Without the Demon Fox’s consciousness you have nothing holding you back from using the power.”

Void smirked and nodded slowly, “I see… So that’s why Deaton kept the fly.” Sebastian gave him a nod. Void chuckled and turned to the passage door, placing his hand on the mirror-like surface. 

“Well, then. Let’s get this party started… Shall we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooohhh... How intense is this? So what do you think will happen next? Only a few hours to find out! 
> 
> So, here's the calculation plan. I have approximately one week (about 8 days) in November. And I have 13 more chapters to go. Which means, I'd have to put in 2 chapters a day and the last chapter on the final day, in order to stick to the deadline to have the full story out by the end of November. But then that leaves me with one full day of no posting or 3 days in which I can post just one chapter each... So... We'll see as we go along how this ends. If all goes well, I'll have all chapters in by the 29th and I'll have the last day free or I'll have 3 tired (or lazy) days of single chapter updates and meet the deadline on the mark. This is exciting! XD
> 
> The clock starts... NOW!
> 
> Oki doke! Thanks for letting me rant! Hope you loved this chapter, this is where where I pulled out all the stops begins. Trying to put visuals into words is not easy but I tried, hope you can clearly see what I was seeing as I wrote this. Again... Let your mind soar, there is no limit to the imagination. 
> 
> M'kay! That's all from me today. Apologies for any mistakes, lots of love and I will see you tomorrow!   
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ****  
>  _They're here... They've come..._   
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I know i didn't put up a chapter yesterday, shush, you didn't even notice... I was tired and i decided to take my free day. So that means two chapters each day until the 30th... Yup! XD
> 
> Hope you're ready, because it all begins in this chapter.  
> Enjoy!  
> Onward.

**Beacon Hills  
The Preserve**

Hayden spun into a full circle as they walked, completely confused at where they were as she did not recognize the place. She sped up to walk beside Derek, who had the coordinates, peering over at his phone before slowing down so Liam could catch up. She was unsure of where they were going and she wanted to make sure that she wasn’t just being paranoid. He skin was itching, barely keeping her wolf from blowing out of her and she felt something heavy in the air. 

“Have you ever been this far in before?” She asked Liam. Her eyes skittishly looking around the trees.

Her boyfriend shook his head and glared at Derek’s back. He too felt largely irritated and Derek blindly leading them wherever was torturing his patience. Would it kill the man to just communicate every once in a while? Of course not, but he just had to be Mr In Charge and stomp ahead like a soldier. Damn it! Liam was going to rip into him any— Derek stopped suddenly, glaring ahead at the big boulder before them. 

“ _Great._ Where’s your tree, Hale?” Liam growled out. 

Hayden sighed “Okay, no offence, big guy but are you sure you read it right?”

Derek’s head turned to the side quickly, hearing sound coming from within the boulder. He touched the ‘vines’—as he thought that's what they were— going up the wall, only his hand went through. Using his other hand to check the coordinates again, he looked up again, frowning at the plant curtain.

“It’s here.” He mumbled but before he could go in Erica came flying out, crashing into him. They went down quick, almost taking Hayden – who had been directly behind Derek— with them, had it not been for Liam dragging her away quickly, his eyes glowing a dangerous yellow. 

“Oooouuuuch! _Jesus!_ ” Erica cried, sitting up. 

“Off of me, Erica.” Derek growled. 

The blonde’s eyes widened, she looked down at Derek, then up at Liam, Hayden and the two huntresses Merissa and Caroline, then back to Derek, whom she happened to be straddling. “You’re here. Who are they?” She pointed to the others with Derek, she knew none of them, “Never mind, not important…” She stood quickly and hauled Derek to his feet, “Come on, something’s wrong with Peter.” She paused to look up at the eclipse in the sky, a growl escaping her, her eyes turning yellow. She froze, eyes glued to the eclipse as her breathing started becoming erratic.

“Erica!” Derek snapped his fingers in front of her face, when that didn’t help, he turned her away from the eclipse. “Hey!”

“What?!” She blinked confusedly. 

Derek frowned, “You said something about Peter?” 

The blonde nodded and led the way back inside the closed meadow. The others were as equally amazed as she was with it. There was a roof over the entire meadow, made up completely of vines from the large trees bordering it. They have no idea how that was even possible but it closed the top of the meadow, leaving a small opening right at the center—a makeshift skylight—that only shone light directly onto the magical stump; making Erica going outside of the meadow her first exposure to the eclipse. 

While the others lagged behind to marvel at the place, Derek shot straight to Peter and Lydia. He instantly noticed Peter’s hand at Lydia’s neck and knew then exactly what was happening as Peter had done it to him too. “What’s Lydia doing?” He asked Boyd, whom had been silently guarding over the two. 

“She didn’t say… But I don’t think Peter was supposed to go along for the ride.” 

Derek frowned, “Why not? He’s inside her head.”

“Lydia said she had to do this alone when Peter first offered to help.” Erica clarified, “While we were scouting the place, I heard her say she needed an anchor… Is that how this usually works? He can’t wake up until Lydia does?” 

Derek’s brows furrowed. Usually an anchor means someone’s consciousness keeping yours tied to the real world, which inherently implies that the person anchoring you should be conscious of the real world in order to bring you back… If Peter wasn’t conscious anymore it could mean one of two things… He either got dragged into Lydia’s consciousness or he couldn’t anchor her… Both of which are very bad for the both of them.

“Lydia?” Derek tried, then looked up at his uncle, “Peter.” 

“Wait… do you guys hear that?” Hayden asked, loud enough for everyone to hear. They all turned to her with raised brows, “Sound like strong wind but… sharper? Like razors.” 

“What, like a tornado?” Caroline, the brown skinned huntress girl asked, her fingers flexing on her gun holster by her thigh. Her friend inched towards her, hand already on her own utility belt. Caroline looked up and to the side, trying to locate any sound, “I don’t hear anything.” 

“Of course not, Care, you’re not a werewolf.” Liam narrowed his eyes, hearing the sound clear, “Wait, it’s coming from the other side of the meadow.” 

Derek turned to Boyd, “How large is this place?” 

“Besides the entrance we all used, it’s pretty tight knit. We’re on the edge. There’s no land on the other side, just water.” 

Derek nodded. What Boyd said made only half the sense it should have. The preserve is overlooking the town, it is the highest point of land in Beacon Hills but… Beacon Hills was not on a beach. So, what water was Boyd talking about. A lake, maybe or a river… it seemed like the most plausible explanation. Logical too since he couldn’t smell salt, which means it’s not an ocean. “Must be coming from somewhere in the Preserve then.” 

He tilted his head and focused on Lydia’s heartbeat, then Peter’s, both evenly matched at a very steady pace. They were definitely alive. His brow rose as both heartbeats spiked for a moment before slowing again. Derek reached out to grasp Lydia’s arm. “Lydia… Can you hear me? Move your hand if you can.” 

Nothing. 

He tried Peter next, “Peter?... Uncle Peter, can you hear me?” The only response he got was Peter’s brow twitching. He turned to Erica, “Let’s try to separate them.” 

The blonde shook her head, “Can’t… look,” She pointed to Peter’s feet, the Nemeton had root vines clasped around his ankles. “Whatever’s going on in there… I think they’re on their own.” She did not want to risk doing anything fatal like forcefully tearing them away from the stump and have their souls trapped in there or something. She didn’t know how this thing worked, so she was keeping her hands to herself.

Derek pursed his lips in frustration. He couldn’t exactly risk going into Peter’s head because he’s an Alpha too and not only is Lydia not a member of _his_ pack, but she’s already hosting Peter’s consciousness. He looked down to Peter’s hands where they lay under Lydia’s head and neck, there was another vine tied to his wrist, obviously keeping both of them from moving. Derek found it curious that they only appeared to be sleeping apart from the occasional eyebrow twitch. 

He had to make a decision fast, if they can’t move them then… “We’ll just have to wait until they wake up. We’ll just have to—” His phone beeped, he fished it from his jean pocket and read the alert message, it was from Isaac. Something was wrong. He turned to Boyd and Liam, “I have to go. We can’t leave the Nemeton unguarded, plus Peter and Lydia. You two guard the entrance to the meadow while Hayden and I—”

“What? Wait… no, I’m not leaving Lydia here by herself.” Hayden inserted, “She’s _my_ friend, if anyone’s gonna protect her, it’s me.” They already lost Kira, she wasn’t letting Lydia out of her sight.

“I’ll go with you,” Liam offered “Scott’s my Alpha. It’s my duty to protect him.” He turned to give Hayden an apologetic look but the black-haired girl just reached forward to pull him into a tight hug. She knew he’d rush to Scott’s side, it’s what he always did. She couldn’t blame him for it but she also didn’t much like it.

“Be careful… Don’t do anything stupid.” She whispered before pulling back to give him a kiss. 

Liam gave her a smile, “Love you.” Hayden nodded with a smile and returned the sentiment. Liam then turned to Derek, “Alright, let’s go.” 

The Alpha nodded and turned to Erica and Boyd. The latter gave him an encouraging nod, “We’ll handle things here. Go.” 

Derek nodded again, turning to give one last glance to Peter and Lydia, hoping that they both woke up. He just got his uncle back, losing him would hurt a lot but it wasn’t him he was worried about… He wanted Peter to come back to his family. And Lydia was a part of that family… The fact that Stiles trusted her enough with the twins even after all those years, showed Derek that Lydia will forever have a place in Stiles’ heart and that made her family, especially after all she’s done for them since Stiles disappeared.

“Find your way back.” He mumbled before rushing out, Liam on his tail.

**~~***~~**

Isaac felt extremely uneasy being left with only Scott, Allison and a bunch of hunters that Allison so proudly ordered around as Miss Silver Royalty. He kept to himself and stood off to the side as they all moved around setting up perimeters and keeping close to _Miss Argent and the True Alpha._ He shook his head with an impressive eyeroll, not believing that he himself once believed in Scott, thought so highly of him. But more than that, he could not believe that he once had a thing for Allison. Really, he should have known that she was just using him as a rebound and to make Scott jealous as _he_ used Kira to make _her_ jealous. 

He watched them all move around until their surroundings darkened suddenly, everything taking on a red tint to it. Even though it was midday, it looked like dawn. Isaac looked up at the crescent eclipse, it wasn’t aligned yet, only when it was, will the Blood Moon event start and the wraiths would be arriving soon. At least according to Lydia and Peter.

He was nervous, he couldn’t deny that. Stiles and Derek had tried extremely hard to keep him from any battles these past few years and so he was a bit rusty. Derek tried extremely hard to get him to go back to Peter’s apartment but he would not be letting him get away with it this time, he was helping get Stiles back and Derek’s overprotective nature would not stop him. 

The wolf let out a sad sigh, he really missed the twins… not to mention Stiles. He missed Bennington, the quiet calm atmosphere that lay there. A part of him wondered if those wraiths turned Stiles into one of them, but a larger part hoped that he and Kira got away and that they would somehow find a way to escape.

A gust of wind whizzed past him, hitting him so hard his ears rang for a moment. He pushed of the tree he was leaning on and turned around, his eyes widened at what he saw. There was a strong gust of wind circling between two trees several feet away from where he stood. With every second that passed, the wind picked up pace, whistling louder, and circling wider. He hoped to god that it was Stiles… But he knew it wasn’t. Because that did not feel nor smell like Stiles’ spark.

“What the _hell_ is that?” Allison asked, she and Scott walking over to him. 

“Did that happen before when the wraiths came?” Scott asked. 

Isaac shrugged, how the hell would he know? He wasn’t there all of the times these freaks visited. Hell, he doesn’t even know what they look like. The wolf frowned and turned to Scott, “Wait a second, didn’t _you_ see them when they took Theo and Jackson?” 

Scott shook his head, “They were out with Deaton.” 

Isaac sighed. _Of course,_ they were, and that’s probably why they disappeared in the first place. Isaac never trusted nor liked the man. They all jumped a bit and turned to the trees again when the wind whistled loudly past them again. A loud rip went through the air, leaving behind spider patterned black broken glass cracks in the space between the trees. There was no opening where they could see on the other side but the cracks themselves appeared to be dark, it was like a mirror was breaking, slowly but surely as the cracks spread wider. 

Isaac fished out his phone and sent Derek an alert. This was it, it was now or never, if they weren’t ready, they had to get there fast. The plan was to use Scott to lure them out there, not to have them actually take him. 

He turned to find Allison and Scott giving rules to pack up. He looked up, the eclipse was in its final alignment stage, he could feel it. He clenched his teeth and shook his head when a growl involuntarily left him. Blinking a few times, his eyes turned a bright amber and back to their baby blue withing seconds. Shaking his head one more time to clear his mind, he turned to Scott. 

“Scott, you need to get out of here!” He called over the wind, his voice carried off but he knew Scott’s hearing would allow him to hear. 

“Not yet, I have to draw them here and besides, we don’t know if they really want me, but if they do, we need to lure them out here so they can’t find the Nemeton.” Scott yelled over, sounding reasonable for once.

Isaac watched as all the hunters loaded, reloaded and prepared their weapons. Some carried guns, others arrows, others daggers, there was easily thirty hunters spread out through the preserve, ten stuck close to the ‘power couple’. Isaac wished his own pack was there, hell, he wished _Peter’s pack_ was there, at least then he would know there was somebody who would have his back. As the situation was, he was alone, the hunters could care less about him and Scott and Allison… well, he’s definitely been down that road before. 

More cracks echoed through the air, everybody paused, looking behind Isaac, their eyes wide. He turned slowly to the rift, just in time to witness the cracks spread faster until they reached the trees and then… it shattered. 

As it exploded, the final gust of wind pulsed out, hitting them all so hard they stumbled back at the force. When they uncovered their eyes, the cracks were now broken shards, hovering in the air, merely suspended in the space between the trees, rotating at a daringly slow pace. It looked like something out of a fantasy movie and Isaac was not there for it.

Beyond the broken shards, they could see a figure standing there with an extended hand towards the opened rift. It was very dark from where they stood and so Isaac – being the one in front—could not make out the person’s face, especially since they were wearing a hood. But he could make out the red skies in the distance —almost similar to their eclipse but dark clouds and lightning included— and the many rows of heads behind the tall figure, obviously an army judging by the many helmets that most wore. 

His heart jumped suddenly, a closed sensation going through his body, he looked up at the eclipse… it was aligned… 

The Blood Moon was finally here. 

Isaac couldn’t stop it anymore, a rumbled bubbled from his chest, and escaped through his elongated clenched teeth… His eyes flashed yellow, claws growing. He heard the same coming from Scott, who had been pushed back by multiple Hunters, they created a defense line around him and Allison as soon as the rift shattered open, but the hunters inched away from him when he let out a loud growl, eyes flashing red and fangs elongating. 

Isaac let out an involuntary howl that echoed through the whole of the preserve, Scott followed and then multiple others from the other wolves from wherever they were. Isaac’s heart jumped when he heard Derek’s howl, his mate was calling to him, telling him that he was coming, and he sounded close too… or at least not too far off.

A deep chuckle echoed through from the thing on the other side of the mirror opening. Isaac looked back down to see the dark figure standing on the other side, he paused for a moment before moving forward. As he did so, the shards floated away from him, almost as if afraid of touching him, allowing him to pass freely without having to physically brush them aside. His cloak covered form walked ever so slowly through the gateway, until he was standing before them, head down, dark cloak to match his dark aura. 

He was tall, much taller than Isaac expected and… human-looking. Though, despite his tall frame, the man absolutely glided, moving with grace that Isaac only ever saw from wolves. Four more figures glided from the portal, flanking the leading one. 

The Wolf took several steps back… this was his first time facing the wraiths and he knew for a fact that these the on in front was no ordinary wraith… he would not be stupid enough to engage. 

The one in the green cloak chuckled deeply, reaching pale tanned hands up to remove his hood and reveal his face. Doing so ever so slowly, he deliberately dragged out the process to intimidate the obviously scared hunters. Finally peeling back the hood, he raised his chin high and proud, taking a deep breath of air. 

“Aah,” He hummed satisfactorily, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them up to meet the many eyes standing before them. He smirked menacingly, “Forgive me, it’s just been a long while since I’ve tasted such… _raw_ freedom.” His baritone voice sent shivers down the spines of all present.

Isaac’s eyes traveled to the four shadowy figures standing behind him. Two of them kept their creepy glowing gaze on them while the outer two tilted their heads left, then right, then back forward… they were obviously reading them. Isaac knew those wraiths knew they weren’t alone. The Wolf heard the small scoff that the men let out, almost as if mocking him. A growl escaped him, his teeth pulling back in a snarl. 

“My, my, what a welcoming committee we have here,” The tall one added. Isaac turned his eyes back to him. Long silky raven black hair that flowed lazily behind him in the slow wind, large bright green eyes – Isaac was definitely sure he had not seen that shade of eyes before – and a face sculpted for a god. There was no doubt the man was beyond handsome, and that is what made him look even more dangerous. The man’s green eyes met his own amber, “Oh, my… such a brave little wolf. Tell me, are you the leader of this bunch?” 

Isaac remained quiet, watching the wraiths. He heard a growl coming from within the circle of hunters and apparently the two heard it too because the red one tilted his head to the sound while the green eyes of the one in front traveled over to the hunters, he saw the red eyes peeking through the circle and chuckled. 

“Oh, I see…” He huffed out a laugh, “Well, then. Let’s get familiar, shall we? After all, it is only common courtesy to know the name of the man who will either _end_ you… or _enslave_ you.” His eyes traveled back to Isaac. He then tipped his head in a mock bow, sneering at the group, 

“Greetings… I am King Sebastian of Iskra…” He straightened and spread his arms out with a smirk. 

“And I hereby claim your luscious and lively realm… as my own.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp! The devil and his advocates have arrived! How's my interpretation? Is it satisfactorily visual? Am I on X Games mode, yet? XD XD XD 
> 
> Well, it only gets better. So... yeah, hope you enjoyed this chapter, sorry for errors and/or mistakes and I will see you next chapter!  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Thus begins the battle to end it all...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Errr... Phew, so my writing skills are truly tested here, i really have no experience writing fighting/battle scenes so... this might be hmmm... weird. 
> 
> I do hope you enjoy though! The moment of change has arrived!  
> Are you ready?  
> Onward...

**Beacon Hills  
The Preserve**

It was silent for a long while before Sebastian got bored, “Alright, let’s take a name roll, shall we? Let’s see…” His eyes traveled to every individual before resting on Isaac, who took another step back even as his wolf growled at him to pounce, “Little wolf pup, you seem adequately courageous enough… Hmm, quite tall, golden curly hair and a face cuter than kittens…” Sebastian chuckled, “Isaac.” 

Isaac’s eyes widened. He knew he shouldn’t be surprised considering they had been watching them but having a super evil person say your name in that kind of a satisfied purr would scare even Voldemort. He bit his fear and growled out, “How do you know my name?” 

Sebastian closed his eyes, laughter rumbling in his chest, “What kind of man would I be if I didn’t know the names of my betrothed’s pets?” 

“ _Pets?_ ” Isaac growled, “Of course _you_ would think of us as Stiles’ pets…” He knew that’s who the man meant by ‘betrothed’. “On that note though, how about you hand him over, turn back to wherever it is the hell you came from and everybody can get back to their lives.”

Sebastian raised a brow and opened his eyes, “Hmm? And what would the alternative be if I were to say… no?” 

Allison stepped forward, crossbow pointed right at Sebastian, “Then you get several arrows in you.” She sneered. Isaac frowned, wondering what was taking Derek so long to reach them. “Now, how about you give me my betas back and we’ll call it a day.” Allison continued. 

Isaac frowned, there it was again, that authority complex that Allison took on since her psychotic grandfather showed up. She was now the spitting image of Kate without the massacre of an entire pack family. Since when was the pack hers? Scott was standing right over there and he didn’t correct her… If Isaac didn’t know any better, he would say Scott has a serious case of Stockholm. 

“Oh?” Sebastian tilted his head, studying her with his bright eyes, reading her did not take long. “Huntress… Incredibly arrogant and quite rude, loves playing with big girl toys but most importantly, incredibly self-righteous and aggressively violent—” 

“You getting to your point anytime soon?” Allison sneered. 

Sebastian’s amusement faded, replaced by a wild fierce glare. Cliché as it might sound, nobody has ever taken that tone with him and lived to speak of it. But he supposed the girl was just living up to her reputation and he wasn’t his t kill… A pleased smirk ghosted over his lips.

“Allison Argent.” 

The Huntress smirked, “A _pleasure._ ” She wouldn’t bother asking how he knew her name. She was the head of the Argent House and the True Alpha’s mate, of course the Wraith King would know her name, especially since he’s been watching, according to Derek and Isaac. “But seriously, how about you and your _friends_ over there return my pack members, or move out of my way so I can get them myself.” Behind her the hunters clicked their weapons, ready to fire and attack. 

Sebastian blinked slowly, “Very well…” He raised his hand, pointing his aim to the ground a few feet ahead. Three black vortexes opened, bigger and bigger until three bodies rose from them, each lying in a fetal position, then the vortexes closed up under them, leaving the bodies behind. The bodies belonged to none other than Jackson, Ethan and Theo, all unconscious and extremely pale. Allison waved her hand and several hunters rushed forward to drag the three back to safety.

Sebastian smirked and looked at his palm… He was right, being on Earth and the added power of the Blood Moon increased his power limits. Of course, it could very well be the spark he consumed from the other Spark woman he had captured and the Alpha spark from Deucalion… He already felt extremely powerful, but that he could open a vortex in real space is absolutely exceeding his expectations. He thought he would have to consume almost all the vials for that. It appeared this would be an easy win… There was nobody challenging enough present, to defeat him. 

Sebastian looked up at Allison with an emotionless expression, “Will that be all?” Isaac knew he did not mean it in kind, that the man was obviously irritated by Allison’s audacity and that his faux kindness would soon fade fast. Isaac paused, waiting to hear if Allison would point out the obvious or not. The Huntress glanced at him, then back to the pair. 

“Stiles Stilinski—” 

“If I remember correctly, Miss Argent, you asked for _your_ pack members and I delivered. Now, _will that be all?_ ” Sebastian cut in irritably, he was growing ever impatient with her audacious attitude. 

Allison paused for a moment before giving a curt nod. “Just leave.” 

Isaac lost it then, he turned to growl at her, “Allison!” Why was Scott so quiet? He could be saying something, _anything_ to knock some sense into his girlfriend, but he’s merely standing back there, glaring at the two men before them. And since when was he such a wimp that he hid behind human hunters?

“Sorry, Isaac, my priority is Scott. We got our pack back, we’re leaving.”

Sebastian cleared his throat into his fist gentlemanly, “Pardon me… But I don’t believe I said anything about letting the ‘True Alpha’ go.” The way he said ‘true alpha’ sent a shiver down Allison’s spine. She recognized it as the same tone that a _certain someone_ used a few years ago… “I might need to borrow him for a moment. Fret not… he shall be returned. Now, if you’d please step forward Scott McCall.” 

He didn’t, instead the Hunters tightened the spaces between themselves and aimed reloaded weapons at Sebastian. The Wraith King raised a brow, his eyes narrowing, before he scowled “I see… Well, it appears we will have to do this the hard way, then.” 

He tilted his head to the side, ever so slightly, no words were needed, the two wraiths at his left disappeared into the ground.

Everybody on the defense cast their eyes around, looking for them, knowing they could be anywhere. Scott let out a shout suddenly, calling everyone’s attention. From within the circle of hunters, the True Alpha dropped to the ground, tripped by an invisible force, then his body lurched forward, pulled by the same force. He dug his claws into the ground but they just scraped, leaving deep scratches into the ground as he was pulled. 

“Scott!” Allison cried, running to his side. A few hunters grabbed his arms, trying to pull him back but their dug heels mimicked Scott’s claws. And most were trying to avoid said claws so they let go when he swiped.

Isaac ran to the scene, being the only one with enhanced strength, he knew he would provide the needed muscle. He grabbed onto Scott and started, successfully, pulling in the opposite direction of Sebastian and his wraiths. Seeing that their efforts were foiled, the Shadow Guards sprang from the ground and flew at the group that held Scott. The hunters thought nothing happened when the black smoke merely went through them but a second later, they went flying black. 

Scott was in the air in the next second, carried by the same two wraiths, even as he swiped his claws at them in failed attempts. Isaac and them sprang to their feet in panic as Scott was dragged to Sebastian. As they stood in panic, a black blur came flying from the left and collided with Scott’s body, knocking him from the Wraiths’ hold into the shadows under the trees. 

Everything happened very quickly. As soon as Scott was out of harm’s way, Allison gave her hunters the go and they released fire on Sebastian and his remaining wraiths. Barely bothered, the Wraith King spun into himself, dissolving into smoke and disappearing behind a tree. He reappeared behind another tree across the glade. Brushing invisible dust off from his shoulder, he turned to look his nose down at the surprised faces. 

Sebastian smirked and turned to the bushes where Scott and the black blur disappeared off into, “Well… it appears we have guests.” 

Not a moment later, two giant wolves jumped out from within the bush, followed by Liam, who came flying through the same direction that the black wolf came from. The two fully transformed wolves – one black, one brown—came to a halt in front of Isaac and Allison, growling at Sebastian, obviously protective of their charges. Isaac’s heart reached out to the black wolf before him… It was Derek, his mate was finally here! 

“Right, enough of that…” He leaned back against the tree, crossing his arms and ankles casually, “Kill them.” 

With those two words, his army started flooding in from the gateway across the glade. Everybody turned back to the portal as one by one by one, asking no questions, the Wraith King’s army simply started attacking. Allison yelled at her hunters to stand their ground. The two fully transformed wolves—being the Alphas—lurched forward to the front of the battle and started taking names. 

After that, it was a blur of men and women engaged in a large battle throughout the Preserve as the fight carried itself away from the glade. More wraiths, both with and without powers passed through the doorways to join the fight.

Isaac being the only one close enough to Sebastian, as he had been thrown to the back of the group, decided to speak to the man while the others were occupied. He turned from the battle to Sebastian. “Look… King Sebastian, none of this is necessary, we just want our friends back. Show us Kira and Stiles and we can negotiate. If we can, we’ll give you whatever you want.” 

“That’s very noble of you, young wolf, but I’m afraid what I want cannot simply be _given_ and certainly not by you.” He chuckled when Isaac’s glare intensified. “However, right at this moment, all I want is the True Alpha.” Sebastian responded smoothly, “And most unfortunate that your request is one impossible for me to deliver, for you see, as for your _friends…_ ” He cocked a brow, “The _Kitsune_ is no longer with the land of the living.” 

Isaac’s eyes widened, tears building in his eyes, warping his vision, “What did you do?!” He yelled.

“Me? Nothing.” Sebastian deadpanned. “However, a _certain_ friend of mine lost his temper and… well, let’s be sensitive here and say the little Kitsune lives no longer.” 

Isaac lurched forward and went to sink his claws into the Wraith King but he went through a cloud of black smoke. Sebastian reappeared behind a tree to his left, waltzing out with a bored expression. “ _Most unfortunately,_ young Isaac, I have no intentions of killing you… No, that would be too easy. However, I could offer you a perfect match if you’re looking for a fight.” 

He waved his hand to the ground again, creating the same black vortex spun from before. A figure rose from it a moment later, this one kneeling. Isaac’s frowned watching as every inch of the girl rose from the black hole; he knew better than to believe that it was just an ordinary woman and even better than to underestimate her. 

Once the vortex closed under her, she stood and smirked as she raked her eyes over his form. Said eyes had a bright green shade to them, much like Sebastian’s and the other wraiths, but since she didn’t look like any of them with the cloak, armor and such—she was wearing tight black pants, knee length black boots and long sleeved black shirt with a medieval leather corset over it— Isaac knew she had to be something else entirely. 

“Malia, darling… Try and have fun with this one.” Sebastian purred into her ear and disappeared behind the tree. Isaac was left with the smirking woman. She was approximately his age, brown wavy hair ending by her shoulders and a fit body. Isaac might have had time to consider and complement her beauty if she didn’t start growling at him just then. Her green eyes glowed brighter, with a hint of blue.

The wolf glared at her, “Look, I don’t know who you are so, I have no business with you. But, if you don’t want fangs in your throat, I suggest you turn around and get back to your master.” 

Malia crouched low, “Aww, what’s wrong, wolfie? You scared? It’s okay, I won’t bite,” She licked over her teeth, leaving a trail of growing fangs as she went, “ _Much._ ” 

Isaac’s own fangs came in, “ _Fine…_ Have it your way.” He was angry and if this woman wanted to rumble, he was going to oblige. They killed Kira… He would only be repaying the favor. 

**~~***~~**

The Wraith King stood to the side, studying his opponents as they took down his men. In reality, he could just leave everything here and get to what he was here for, but he knew better than to underestimate this bunch. Eventually, he knew he would have to step in… And of course, he had to acquire the brown wolf… wherever he’d run off to.

He scanned their surroundings but didn’t spot the wolf. “Hmm, now where have you run of to, Little Alpha?” He mussed lowly.

A dark blur crashed into him suddenly, the collision was solid but before he could hit the ground, Sebastian burst into a cloud of smoke, solidifying again on his feet. He turned to find the wolf growling at him, lips pulled back, sharp teeth glistening in the red light. He let out a chuckle, knowing exactly who the wolf was. “Why don’t you turn so we can talk like adult men, Derek? I have a proposition for you.” 

Derek turned, crouching low on the ground to hide his nakedness, his Alpha eyes and fangs remained though as he glared up at Sebastian, “Proposition this: You give me back my Spark or I end you.” 

Sebastian raised a brow “You do see your odds, do you not?” He motioned to the field where most hunters were either unconscious, dead or dying. They were losing big time. “Of course, all of this could have been avoided had Scott McCall handed himself over innocently.” 

Derek sneered, “What do you want with him?”

“The man child himself is nothing special… it’s what lies underneath that counts.”

“Aww, don’t tell me you have a crush on Scott.” Derek smirked, “You’ll break poor Allison’s heart.” Like he cared.  
Sebastian tilted his head in amusement, “Hmm, I certainly see the appeal.” He stared at Derek for a moment before declaring, “Maybe I won’t kill you after all.” 

“Wha—” Derek didn’t finish the sentence, two of Sebastian’s Shadow Guards appeared from the ground and tackled him, pinning him to the ground. He squirmed but it was no use, he was glued to the ground. 

“Derek!” Isaac called, distracted by seeing his mate trapped. He ducked down, dodging claw swipe from Malia, whom had turned into a full Cayote, but as he dodged her front claws, she kicked with her hind legs and got Isaac in the back. The beta wolf groaned and took a knee, the scratches were not deep but they stung like mad. 

Malia turned into her human self again— not bashful of her nakedness— and smirked at him, “Distractions will only kill you, puppy.” She laughed.

Isaac clenched his eyes tightly and gathered his strength. Breathing in deeply, he spun in a swift motion that Malia didn’t see coming caught her left eye with a claw. Malia gasped, freezing on the spot as blood dripped down her face. Her body jolted as black smoke evaporated from her persons as though she had been on fire; her eyes flickered from the green color to a pure bright blue and then dimmed to chocolate brown. She blinked a few times, Isaac seeing the confusion in her eyes, before she dropped to the ground unconscious. 

The wolf stood stunned for a moment, wondering what had happened. From where he stood, it appeared as though something was inside of her and now that it was out, she turned back to herself. He crouched by her side, listening intently and checking her pulse, hoping he hadn’t just killed an innocent person… Another victim of the wraiths.

_Thump… thump…_

It was faint but it was there, she would live if her healing abilities kicked in. Taking off his jacket, he covered her naked body as best as he could and stood, he couldn’t afford to worry about her in that moment… Derek needed him.

Turning to the front of the field, he sported Derek, now back in his wolf form, still struggling against the invisible force that held him down. He ran, it would have been easier and much faster to reach Derek if there wasn’t a battle going on but… He had to stop to claw into a wraith every so often, but mostly, he just ducked and dodged attacks from both wraiths and hunters. 

It was easy to take them down because he’s observed them well. Most of the wraiths were ordinary people with enhanced speed and strength. Most carried weapons like swords and spears that they fought well with but only the four that stuck with Sebastian could do that whole shadow thing.

He picked up a discarded crossbow, aimed and fired at two more wraiths, catching one in the chest and the other between the eyes. Yes, he could use ordinary weapons, he didn’t solely rely on fangs and claws. He caught the last one by the throat and slammed her into the ground, slashing across her throat with trained precision. His wolf definitely knew what he was doing. 

Isaac rose, preparing to make a beeline for Derek when he paused, a wraith stood before him. She was tall, dirty blonde and she looked strong. She stood there smirking at him, blood that obviously wasn’t hers smudged on her cheek. “Impressive. I’ve already killed seven of your comrades, Wolf… let’s see if _you_ can put up a better fight than they did.” 

The wraith rotated the spear in her hands and swung it at Isaac as she spun gracefully. She obviously knew how to use that thing and Isaac was worried. He tucked his lithe body in and tumbled out of the way. He was too slow getting up, however, as the wraith suddenly appeared by his side and caught him right in the jaw with the stick end of the spear. He flinched but recovered quickly, kicking her legs from under her. She dropped but was ready for his attack, blocking his claws with the spear body, she kicked him in the stomach and when he stumbled back, caught him in the jaw. 

Isaac fell with a thud on his back, head spinning from the pain in his jaw. The wraith jumped to her feet and smirked down at him. “Good job, you were the first to actually take me down.” Before Isaac could even react, she drove her spear head deep into his right shoulder, obviously not intending to kill, but to torture. “I think Sebastian will make good use of you.” 

It was then, when he was still writhing in agony that he felt the change in the air. His eyes were drawn to the shattered glass portal that Sebastian currently had his arm through… The Wraith King pulled his arms out ever so slowly, assisting someone through the portal… no, not assisting… it was more like, _presenting._

A figure cloaked in red velvet, walked out elegantly, hand held in Sebastian’s like a lady being helped down the stairs or out of a car… The person was shorter, much shorter than Sebastian and the other wraiths and even Isaac himself but the wolf’s heart sank… He could feel the raw, sheer dark power that drifted off of them. 

Sebastian kept their hands proudly held up, even as the other now stood beside him but that’s not what knocked Isaac’s breath from his lungs… No, it was the person Sebastian was presenting to them that made him forget the pain in his shoulder.

“St—Stiles?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! So that was the tip of a very thick iceberg... I hope you enjoyed it and had fun reading! HMU in the comment section and let me know what you thing. Were you gripped? Surprised? Excited? Bored? :( Or simply... content with this chapter?
> 
> Thanks for reading! Sorry for any mistakes that I missed. Lots of love and I will see you tomorrow!  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Never don't know how to pray...**  
>  We don't know what to say...  
> We don't know how to make it through another day... 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew... So... It's been a quiet week on both sides. If I still have regular readers, my apologies for not posting the past 2 days, been sick and I couldn't but, I hardly doubt you noticed, you guys have been quiet too. But if you did, sorry again, but we're still sticking to the deadline. Three days left! 
> 
> Anyway, this chapter is a whole lot of emotions that will have you hating me, hating the story maybe? Or both! Hehe... So yeah, a lot of angst ahead. Stay with me. 
> 
> Enjoy, I guess?  
> Onward.

**Beacon Hills  
The Preserve**

Sebastian watched as Derek squirmed against his Shadow Guards. He moved to stand by the gateway, knowing his prized possession would be appearing soon. Tilting his head down at the squirming man, he was quite surprised and a little disgusted when Derek’s body snapped, fur growing from his persons, but overall impressed when the man achieved his transformation in restraints… Oh, yes, killing him would be _such_ a waste. 

While he had successfully completed the transformation, the wolf could do nothing though, only claw at the ground because he couldn’t touch his captors. Sebastian’s eyes scanned the surroundings, “Worry not, Hale. For you are merely a ripe piece of steak for the big catch.”

As if on cue, a dark blur came rushing at Sebastian, much like Derek did earlier. He easily stepped from its path and watched as it flew right by him. The brown wolf landed on the ground and collided with Derek’s body, obviously intending to do the same thing that Derek achieved beforehand. 

Sebastian chuckled, “So predictable.” 

Scott let out a whimper as he was now the one knocked to the ground and stuck there. Derek, now free from the restraints –that now held Scott— stood quickly, hackles raised and make to attack Sebastian but the King merely waved a hand at him. Derek yelped when the ground gave out from under him; he sank, half his body went through the black vortex that appeared under him, but he went no further past his legs, Sebastian merely held him there. Only the upper half of his body showing. 

Sebastian smirked at his handy work. He looked up to find most of his wraiths standing. His enemies were defeated… he almost felt disappointed, it was all too easy and not as satisfying, none provided a challenge. The fight was still going but, he doubted any of the remaining would prove a challenge to his army. Looking back down at the two wolves he had, he decided to move along with stage two. 

“Now, then… Let’s all give a warm welcome to the guest of honor, shall we?” The Wraith King walked over to the gateway to his realm and put an arm through. “Come darling, I have acquired your prize.” He half expected nothing, but took great joy when a hand clasped his own. He couldn’t help the proud grin the spread across his face as he presented his treasure for all to see. 

His pride took another spike when the air on the battlefield changed, a lot of eyes drawn to the beautiful creature he had the pleasure to call his intended. Holding his hand until he stood by his side, Sebastian grew extremely excited when the hand in his own was not pulled away. He heard a sputter come from the middle of the field. The two wolves before them let out whimpers as the identity of his treasure was revealed. While wearing the hood, his face was not much covered, obviously having no fear of recognition and Sebastian _loved_ it!

He turned his eyes to watch his betrothed’s cold eyes scan the area with as much interest as one would have watching grass grow. Sebastian noticed the veins on his face were gone, only his large dark irises remained. Then his cold, dark eyes were drawn to the middle of the field, where a small voice whimpered out…

“St—Stiles what—” Isaac stammered, his body going numb. It looked like Stiles but not the good him… Extremely pale white skin, large black irises, dark lips… He looked like, “Void…” 

“Hello, Isaac.” Void smirked, “Miss me?” 

Scott, in his shock, shifted back to his human self and gaped at his former best friend. “How… We got rid of you. Deaton removed the Nogitsune.” 

Void didn’t even blink as his eyes slid ever so slowly to Scott, piercing into his red eyes. “Correct. He removed the _Nogitsune._ Your mistake was thinking that I and the Demon Fox are one and the same.” He drawled slowly, as if talking was something he was something of an extreme chore.

“Wha—” Scott frowned, “What’s that supposed to mean? You were only like this because of the Nogitsune…” 

“And _that,_ Scotty, proves just how little you know and/or _knew_ about your so-called _best friend._ ” Void mumbled lowly, “And however much I would _so_ love to explain, I simply just don’t _want_ to. I’m only here to take back what is mine.”

Scott’s eyes widened, “What do you mean? What’s yours?”

Void reached out a hand towards him, “If you live, I’ll explain.” He said, but before he could do anything else, Allison came running through the tree lines, she took down three wraiths with two crossbows in each hand, she dropped one, and threw a dagger at a fourth. She had with her, wolves that Void did not recognize, probably Scott’s new allies. 

The Huntress finally pushed through to the front. “Scott!” She called blindly, scanning the area for him, before her eyes settled to the front of the field. There was Derek, Scott, Sebastian and his two standing Shadow Guards but Allison saw none of that… Her blind rage zeroed in on Void… this was the first time she was seeing him since that night. Her vision went red.

“ _You!_ ” She pointed her remaining crossbow at him and released the arrows. Isaac gasped, hurting Void would be hurting Stiles, what was Allison _thinking?!_

The arrows cut through the air with precision but before they made contact, they stopped an inch from Void’s persons. All watching witnessed as black veins webbed their way from his eyes, a moment before the arrows crumbled into ash, the flakes falling to the ground slowly. Allison gaped, those arrows were platinum and silver and he burned them like they were wood. 

The veins on Void’s face disappeared, “Lovely seeing you too, Allison,” he smirked at her. 

The Huntress was so angry, she had no time for words. Instead, she charged right at him, tossing throwing stars —shuriken— as she went. Sebastian raised his free hand and opened a vortex in the air, swallowing up Allison’s sharp weapons, but the he faltered, pain piercing his brain, the Sparks he consumed were wearing off. 

“Allison, _no!_ ” Scott yelled but she heard none of that, her sights were set on revenge and she would pay the bastard back for nearly killing her. She threw two knifes at Void, Sebastian thought quickly and wrapped an arm around Void’s, turning them both into smoke particles, allowing the knives to simply go through them. He needn’t have… Like Void would let himself get killed.

Allison was tackled by a wraith she didn’t see coming, he led her down and used one of her remaining arrows to pierce into her thigh. She let out an ear curling scream and tried to reach out but another arrow went through her hand and through the ground, holding her there. 

“Fear not, Huntress, I will end your pain quickly.” The Wraith sneered, hefting his word up to bring down on her head but before he could swing down, he paused, eyes going wide. Then a sickening crunch was heard as his hands contorted into a direction they shouldn’t have. He let out a scream that was cut off by his body thrown aside forcefully, colliding with a tree. A sickening crunch echoed through the field as his broken body crumbled and landed on the ground, his arms and legs facing odd directions.

His fellow wraiths turned their eyes to the front of the field to find Void glaring at his broken form. “ _Fool…_ These two are linked to the Nemeton, I need them to find it.” The dark Spark was now standing above Scott, Sebastian forgotten and left to his own devices. Of course, all the Wraith King had to do was watch and observe. “Or would any of you like to try your luck at finding it yourselves?” Void sneered at the wraiths.

“No, my Lord.” The remaining crowd chorused. They knew they couldn’t find it… If they could, they wouldn’t need a Spark in the first place. Sebastian smirked, Void was already acting like the perfect little consort… yes, he would make a marvelous King and will rule with an iron fist by his side.

“I didn’t think so.” Void mumbled, looking back down at Scott. 

Isaac saw this and panicked, wondering what Void would do because whatever Void did, Stiles would take guilt for it. If Void killed Scott… “Stiles!” Void’s dark eyes turned to him, not friendly at all. He groaned when the wraith holding him jostled the spear to pain him.

“I thought we established that I wasn’t.” The dark Spark snapped calmly. 

Isaac nodded “I know… But I also know he’s in there somewhere so just—” 

“You’re wrong.” Void cut in, “He might have been a day ago but he’s not here now. So, I’m unapologetic to inform you that whatever attempts you might try at calling upon him are not only pathetic but _extremely_ futile. I am in control now… _indefinitely._ ” 

Isaac decided to take different tactics, “So what? You’re one of them now? You’re just a puppet aren’t you—Argh!” He cried out when the spear was twisted inside his shoulder. Black spots flew in his vision but he bit down on his tongue, a second source of pain would serve as a distraction. 

The female wraith standing above him sneered down at him with disgust “You dare mock, Lord Void?”

Void held up a hand, “Let him speak.” 

“But… My lord—” 

“What is your name?” 

They were confused for a second as to whom he was speaking to s he still had his eyes on Isaac but then they drifted ever so slowly to the blonde wraith torturing him. Her eyes widened, “Adrastea, my Lord.” 

“Adrastea…” Void repeated without interest, then his eyes filtered back to Isaac, “Interrupt him again and the spear goes in you, understand?” 

The woman pursed her lips irritably, “Yes, my Lord.” She could very much declare that he wasn’t her king but she would be dead before she could finish the thought.

Void smirked at Isaac, “I believe you were calling me a _puppet…_ please continue.” 

Isaac clenched his teeth, this could be a trap and he could only end up getting himself killed but damnit, Stiles had to be in there, even if he’s a wraith now… he can fight it. “The first time you weren’t even in control, the Nogitsune was and after they got rid of it, Stiles manhandled you back to whatever hole it is you crept out of. Now you say you’re in control again but… You’re working for and _serving_ an evil Wraith King asshole—” 

“Hurtful.” Sebastian injected in with a smirk.

“—and you’ve been turned into some wraith maniac, bringing them into our world and helping another man rule when you could take control yourself?” 

“And what, pray tell, makes you think I serve him?” 

Isaac coughed out a laugh, “ _Please,_ look at you. You’re totally his bitch. He’s flaunting you around like a little trophy princess and you do his bidding.” He took a deep breath, fixing a perfect smirk on his face, “Stiles was a badass… he was nobody’s bitch. And that’s why you will always be in his shadow. You. Are. Nothing. And no matter how hard you try… you will _never_ be the better version of him because _he_ is best version of _you._ ” 

Void’s brow twitched in anger, but then his face smoothed out into perfect emotionless composure. He let out a chuckled. “Brave man, Isaac. Tell me… did that take a lot?”

Isaac laughed, “It took everything actually.” 

Void nodded with a smile, “Good…” His smile disappeared then, the dark cracks on his face appearing as he wrapped his hand around the spear sticking out of Isaac's shoulder, “Because those were your last words.”

Isaac simply blinked, he saw this coming, whether by the spear in his shoulder or by something else, he somehow knew this day was his last, he had a feeling. Sighing softly, his eyes met Derek’s quickly, _‘I love you’_ he thought a moment before Void’s spark zapped through him, his body crumbled into ash, leaving the spear standing alone embedded into the ground. 

*~~~~~~*

_Isaac smiled down at Derek after the man got into bed. He stood a moment later, sure that Derek was asleep but a hand grabbed his wrist before he went far._

_“Hmm?” He raised a brow as he sat back down on the bed._

_Derek opened his eyes to smile at his mate… His perfect blue eyes golden fiancé “Do you want a big wedding?” Because he would give him that if that’s what Isaac wanted._

_Isaac hummed and let out a laugh, grinning brightly at Derek “What would I do with a big wedding, and who would we even invite?”_

_Derek frowned with a small pout “I know people.” He’d made a few friends in the past few years._

_“Of course, you do.” Isaac laughed then paused “I suppose if we have the wedding back home then yes… it can be a little bit big, but just a little bit. And then just the pack for the after ceremony.”_

_Derek nodded and closed his eyes, bringing Isaac’s hand up to lay a kiss on his knuckles“Winter wedding?”_

_Isaac smiled and leaned down to place a soft kiss on Derek’s lips, then pulling back to whisper softly against them… “Winter wedding.”_

_The Alpha smiled contently and slipped into beautiful slumber…_

*~~~~~~*

A deep heart wrenching howl ripped through the air as Derek cried for his mate. It was all too quick and he was stuck, he panicked and froze… he could have saved him… why didn’t he save him?! 

His heart went cold, his entire body losing feeling. This was it… he couldn’t anymore. Isaac was his only true mate and he too died, like all the others he’s loved before, but Isaac as his life… his home… his heart… his very soul. Derek could go on no longer, this was it. He would die on this day; living was not an option anymore… He had nothing to live for. 

Void turned to him, “Quiet.” Derek’s howl died in his throat; his cry stolen from him. How cruel this creature was to deny him even that? He looked at Void with nothing but empty hatred. He didn’t see Stiles… No, this was not his brother. Stiles was dead, and if not, Derek would kill him himself because he was going to kill Void. Peter, John, Petra and Claudius forgive him but he was going to kill this evil being. 

Void turned to Scott, “It was a mistake… And I’m sorry I ever let this go on for so long. But you don’t deserve it… you never did.” Scott wondered what he was talking about but his questions died in his throat when Void raised a hand to him and his body started to feel an intense burn like nothing he’d ever felt before. His back arched off the ground as he began thrashing, letting out a painful scream. 

“Scott!” Allison cried “Please stop! You’re _killing_ him!” She had tears running down her throat, clawing at the ground with her free hand but being held down by two arrows, she could do nothing.

Void ignored her, instead concentrating on the task at hand. Scott’s body rose off the ground when Void turned his palm up to collect the Alpha Spark. Bright red veins lit up under Scott’s skin, all running up to pool in his chest where the red spark particles started to leave his body and disappear into Stiles’ awaiting hand. Unlike Kira’s fire that pooled above his hand, he absorbed Scott’s spark. The spark _he_ had given to him… Foolish, naive Stiles.

The process was a little long and very painful for Scott but after several minutes, his wide red eyes faded out to an amber colour as the last of the Alpha Spark left him, then he dropped to the ground, panting and gasping for air. Void closed his eyes and sighed contently as the spark he just took spread through his own body. 

“Hmm,” He hummed, opening his eyes to meet Allison’s “There, I didn’t kill him. You can stop your whimpering. It’s pathetic.” He turned to face Sebastian, whom had been watching the entire scene with arousing pleasure. He was extremely pleased with the turn of events, extremely pleased with Void. “I’m closing the gate; I can’t keep it open while we go seek out the Nemeton. I’ll open it again, if need be.” Then he turned back to the wraiths, “Find these two clothing, we’ve moving.” He motioned to Derek and Scott. 

The wraiths nodded and provided Scott and Derek with clothes. Sebastian waved his hand, releasing Derek from his hold. The Alpha instantly turned back to his human form; the lower half of his body numb from having being sucked into a void for so long. He could do nothing now but wait until the time was right. They were taking him along, for whatever reason, so that gave him enough time to recover and strike back. 

His eyes traveled to the pile of ash that was once his mate and he felt fresh hot tears running down his face. How? How did he lose him so fast? It all happened too fast, one second he was there and then the next—

“Someday I might feel guilty for killing him.” Void’s voice drifted to Derek but the Alpha did not dignify him with so much as a glance, “Though I highly doubt I ever will… If anything, though, I will always respect him for his bravery.” 

The Dark Spark passed by him and walked over to Scott and Allison. They were held by the wraiths, kept apart even as they struggled to get free and get closer. Void waved his hands to have them released. As soon as the wraiths released them, they ran to clutch each other, Scott sucking away at Allison’s pain. Void walked over to them and held out his hands. “Unfortunately, I need physical contact to connect to the Nemeton so… Hands.” 

Alison glared, “Screw you.” 

“Yeah, what she said and also, go fuck yourself. Asshole.” Scott added with a glare of his own. 

Void sighed sadly, “No need to be so offensive, Scott. And after I kept you alive.” 

“So, you could use me, you _dick!_ ” The former alpha cried, “Isaac was right… you’re nothing but a little bitch. At least Stiles was useful for something.”

Void shook his finger at him and clicked his tongue, “Careful now, we both know where a sharp tongue landed Isaac and I actually liked him at some point. _You,_ I will make suffer longer, first by making you watch as I burn pretty Allison here from the inside out—” 

“I don’t care if you’re Stiles or not! You touch her and I will kill you myself!” Scott clutched Allison closer. 

“I entertain the thought of you trying. However, since we both know you will fail, Scott, I suggest you don’t try my patience. Hands. _Now._ ” 

Obviously not even wanting to touch him, Allison and Scott aggressively placed each of their free hands in Void’s. He clutched them tightly and started immediately. His eyes turned a bright shade of purple for a moment before it faded, with it his smile. He tilted his head and frowned, then he tried again. This time no connection was made whatsoever. He clutched Allison and Scott’s hands in a vice grip that had them both wincing “What is this?! How are you not connected to tree anymore?” 

Scott smirked, “Ha… I guess you and Stiles aren’t such a tag team anymore. Why don’t you ask him what happened?”

Void released their hands with a chuckle, “Of course, you realize if what you’re saying is true then, I don’t need you anymore?” Scott’s smug expression melted to panic, as did Allison’s. Void sneered, “Get them out of my sight.” The two were dragged off at his command. He couldn’t kill them, not yet, he would need them to connect to the tree once he found it.

“Are they not essentially useless now?” Sebastian asked, pressing against his back, whispering in his ear. “What happened?” 

“Stilinski severed their connection to the Nemeton… Only in so far as tracking it. He’s somehow cloaked it, I can’t locate it myself, as I am a dark spark wielder.” Void glared off into space, “However, when I first connected, I felt the underlying hold the tree has on them. I can’t use them to track it but I will need them to use it.” He turned to smirk at the Wraith King, “The best sacrifices are those already claimed.” 

Sebastian brushed his nose against Void’s cheek, “Then how do you suppose to locate the damn thing?” 

Void frowned, then his gaze landed on Derek as they dragged him off. He knew Stiles trusted Derek most of all but would he tell him where the Nemeton was? Void wondered… If Derek was not told by Stiles where the tree is, he at least found it himself… Or someone did for him. “Hmm, I wonder where the Banshee is.” 

Sebastian pulled back with a raised brow, “Of course, she should be able to find it.” 

“Yet, I can’t feel her presence anywhere. Which leads me to two conclusions.” Void mussed, “One, she’s hidden in the Stilinski household, though I doubt that would be the case as they know I can enter past the wards… after all, I made them. Which leaves us with option two…” 

Sebastian smirked, “The ancient tree? You think she is with it?” 

“I am almost completely certain,” Void narrowed his eyes at Derek, “What direction did he come from when he joined the fight?”  
Sebastian’s eyes traveled to Derek, “South East.” He answered simply.

Void smirked. “That is not the direction of his loft or the Stilinski house… He knows where it is.” His smirk slipped, replaced by an intense glare, 

“And he’s going to tell us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeezuz! I know, don't come at me, I didn't kill anybody, that wasn't me. So, be honest for a moment... How many of you are so angry with me that you're just thinking of abandoning this story? I'm willing to bet that some already have XD
> 
> Props and thanks to those who have stayed and are curious to see how this will end, you won't regret it. That being said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, sorry for mistakes and I will see you in the next one.  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **I'll take the blame, I'll even the shame...**   
>  **Baby, I'm gambler... An you're the ace of spades...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm... I just thought of this but, it must be quite annoying for people who were looking for a lot of Steter to not be getting a lot of it here... Argh, I don't know how to explain it but, I definitely did not clickbait you, really I didn't. Though I know this is not the romance you were looking for but yes, the main couple is still very much Steter. All will make sense soon... 
> 
> That being said, please do enjoy this chapter.  
> Onward.

**Beacon Hills  
The Meadow**

Erica sighed, coming to sit next to Hayden on the meadow floor. She recognized the girl as a freshman from her high school but beyond that, she knew nothing personal about her, or the guy she was with. Her eyes traveled to the two huntresses pacing on either side of the Nemeton, they definitely looked like trained soldiers… puppets. Erica did not trust them one bit. 

Hayden turned to her before Erica’s attention could come back to her, “So… You’re Erica…” She turned her head, looking over her shoulder at the large dark-skinned man. “And that’s your friend Boyd?” 

The blonde turned to her with a raised brow, “Husband, but yeah, that’s us. Why? Somebody say something?” Her eyes narrowed, thoughts straying to Allison… The Argent bitch, it was her fault they got captured by her asshole of a grandfather. 

Hayden tilted her head in surprise, “No… It’s just… Your names popped up a few times whenever Allison fought with Lydia.” She paused, frowning, “And one time when she had an argument with Stile—well, actually, it was whenever she bought up Stiles’ Nogitsune period… or _episode,_ as they like to call it. Lydia always reminded Allison that she played a part in your disappearance… I never knew what that meant because she never wanted to explain afterwards.” 

Erica scoffed, “Lydia fought with her _best friend_ over us?” Last she checked, those two were nail and finger, they were inseparable in ways that made her want to vomit.

“Over Stiles mostly, but yes, you were also a topic of conflict. Your names would only come up when Allison called Stiles evil and bad, saying that’s why the Nogitsune chose him and Lydia would always remind her that _she_ was the reason ‘Erica and Boyd got captured and tortured’ and… basically why nobody ever saw you again.” Hayden shrugged. Honestly, she couldn’t explain it right as she didn’t know the facts, this all happened before she, Liam and the younger members of Scott’s pack joined the crazy world of night. She raised a brow at the blonde wolf, “They thought you were dead.”

Erica looked down at the grass below her in guilt, but then she couldn’t bring herself to truly feel guilty… especially after Peter found them. She raised her head to look at the man in question, her heart swelled with pride and gratitude… everything would have been so different had they been turned by Peter. All the hardships they went through in Derek’s pack and the older Hale managed to heal her and Boyd. They owed him everything. 

Peter made them realize that leaving Beacon Hills was the best decision they ever made and after he saved them _twice…_ Erica chuckled, she would bet anything that the Beacon Hills clan didn’t even know that Peter saved them from the Alpha pack first. As she thought back to that moment, she realizes that that might have been the moment when she realized, he would make a great Alpha, that’s why they stuck with him when he saved them again. 

“Long story short,” Erica started, “Allison’s grandfather came into this town, one night, and decided he wanted to _‘cleanse’_ it of the supernatural, but mostly… it was an excuse to hunt wolves…” 

Hayden shook her head, “Let me guess, the kind that is very much human most of the time?”

Erica smirked, she liked this girl, “Uh-huh. He came for our pack first, and Derek got pissed and bit his daughter-in-law —Allison’s mother— who was more Argent than his own son. Anyway, spoiler alert, she killed herself so she wouldn’t turn into a quote on quote _monster._ ” She rolled her eyes, snorting when she saw Hayden do the same. She wondered for a moment why the wolf was even in Scott’s pack, she obviously did not like Allison at all, 

“Little miss Argent went crazy and teamed up with Papa Psycho and they ambushed us… Scott obviously stood up for her the whole way and even betrayed Derek in the process… I don’t know what happened after that but, Boyd and I were capture—” She frowned, remembering that they weren’t alone there. “And Stiles.” 

Hayden’s eyes widened, “Lydia said something about that two nights ago. But Allison said she didn’t know her grandfather took Stiles as well.” 

Erica nodded; she could believe that. Allison never thought much of Stiles and she was only after their pack but it didn’t mean that she was off the hook, since she was the one who led them to them in the first place, it was her fault. “Whether she meant it or not,” Erica pressed her lips together in anger and frustration. She was angry at Allison still but frustrated with Stiles for what he did that night. Her stomach tightened, eyes stinging with emotion, then her vision blurred, “Stiles suffered more than we did that night.” She sniffed softly and wiped a stray tear. 

Hayden’s brows furrowed in confusion and sympathy, “Because he’s human?” She guessed it was because he couldn’t heal as fast as they could and had a lower pain tolerance. 

Erica let out a humorless laugh “I wish that’s all it was.” 

Both of them jumped to their feet suddenly, turning to the entrance where Boyd stood, but he had his back to them, he too facing the closed entrance. The two huntresses stopped their pacing, going alert at the sudden jump of the wolves. 

“What is it?” Merissa—the Latina huntress—asked, hand hovering over one of her TEC-9s strapped to her thigh. Caroline reached for both of her pistols. 

“They’ve found us.” Boyd mumbled. He heard the many footsteps marching to their location but then they stopped.

“Who’s they? Scott?” Caroline asked. 

Boyd turned his head to look the others over his shoulder. It sounded like an army was approaching out there, they weren’t nearly enough and if this army was over here, it was more likely than not that they went through Allison’s hunters… The odds were not in their favour. He sighed, Erica was right, this town is cursed beyond hell and back. 

He wondered how they would all fare, especially since Peter and Lydia were both still—

Lydia let out a huge gasp suddenly, breathing in deeply like a starving woman. They all turned to face her just as the Nemeton’s vines release their hold on her. She blinked slowly, looking up at Peter, who still had his eyes closed. 

Hayden ran to her side, “Lyds! You okay?!” She asked but she was ignored by her friend. 

Lydia reached a hand behind her neck and grasped his hands, removing the one balancing her head, then reaching for the one at the base of her neck. Grasping it in a tight grip, Lydia rose, arching her back slightly, Peter’s claws slid slowly out of her cervical vertebrae. Peter himself was still tied to the tree stump. 

The others watched in wonder as she barely blinked, her face remaining void of emotion, as if she felt absolutely no pain whatsoever. She then sat up and stood on top of the Nemeton; walking to the edge of the stump, she stepped down effortlessly, using the roots. “Are they here yet?” She asked, her voice coming out with an echo that it didn’t have before. 

Still very much stunned, they all remained silent. Boyd recovered first and answered “They’re outside. They stopped a little while ago; I don’t think they know how to get in.” 

Lydia blinked and walked past him, “We don’t need them to get in, we will go to them.” 

The others frowned, from the way she spoke, they were pretty convinced that the “we” Lydia spoke of did not include them. Erica and Hayden shared the same confused look, from Lydia’s tone, they were pretty sure she was only referring to herself… in _plural._

**~~***~~**

**The Preserve**

The wraith company came to a stop in the middle of a large clearing, Void at the very front, being the one leading them. Derek was to his right, surrounded by three wraiths, all pointing their weapons at him, ready for any faulty movement. 

Void cast his eyes across the empty clearing scanning the area with intent and patience. Sebastian, on the other hand, was growing impatient, so he turned to Derek, “Well? Where is it?” Derek didn’t bother answering, he didn’t lead them here, Void did, why can’t his Royal Assholeness ask him? He was just waiting, bidding his time, waiting to pounce, he would not speak… not that he could, Void still had his voice. 

Allison smirked, “What’s the matter? Lost your plaything?” She mocked. She was slapped across the face and told to stay silent but she just glared at the wraith that hit her, “You gonna make me?” The wraith went to hit her again but Scott blocked his path and bared his fangs at him.

“Touch her and it’ll be the last thing you do.” He growled. He was hit in the back of the head and he went down hard. Allison acted quickly, she swiped a sword from the nearest wraith’s hip and swiped out, catching him in the throat, then driving it into the chest of the one that hit her. 

“Let this be a lesson.” She growled, before pulling it out quickly and swinging it higher, cutting off his head. Then she turned to help Scott but found her boyfriend held in Sebastian’s grip. He had him by the back of the neck. 

“My, my, you _are_ weak…” Sebastian drawled, shaking Scott in his hold, then he looked up at Allison. “Another outburst from you, Miss Argent, and this one gets it.” 

Allison glared “What? You can’t handle me so you go after him?”

“On the contrary, I find making him suffer as you watch is the best way to punish _you,_ and vice versa. And on that note…” Sebastian tightened his grip on Scott’s neck, causing the wolf to struggle and choke, his fangs retreating. Void remained quiet, observing the scene with disinterest from the corner of his eye.

“Stop! Let go of him!” Allison cried, taking a step forward. 

Sebastian raised a brow at her, “You just love giving orders, don’t you?” He brought Scott to his knees, the wolf’s circulation was now completely cut off, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. 

Allison panicked and dropped the sword quickly, raising her hands in surrender, “Okay! Okay! I’m sorry! Please stop!”  
Sebastian was surprised at this. Truthfully, he half expected the girl to toss Scott aside and negotiate something for her own benefit, but it appears she truly loves the wolf, even as he was no longer the True Alpha. Hmm, maybe she had a heart after all. His attention—and everybody’s— was drawn to the… formerly empty field when a solid wall covered in vines appeared. The Wraith King looked to Void, “Your doing?” 

Void ignored him, silently watching the wall patiently. He could feel the Nemeton inside. “It’s here…” 

Sebastian raised a brow “Beyond the wall?” This time Void nodded. 

Scott—having recovered from near asphyxiation—glared up at Sebastian, “Alright, you have your stupid tree stump, let us go.” Sebastian merely smirked down at him and turned his attention back to the front when whispers started going around. A beautiful strawberry blonde appeared from behind the wall. 

A wraith came up behind him, “Your Majesty, that’s her… That’s the Banshee.” 

Lydia walked through the vine curtain, back straight, chin held high. She knew what to expect, fear was not an emotion she felt, nor was she surprised at the large number of wraiths standing before her. She stopped a short distance away from them, her eyes drawn to the familiar face in red. 

“Stiles…” She greeted. 

Void tilted his head, staring at her in wonder. He noticed the change in her voice instantly. “Try again.” 

Lydia’s lip twitched, “You _are_ Stiles, even if you’ve forgotten your way now.” 

“My way?” Void asked with a raised brow, “You mean _his_ way? I’ve never been him and his way has never been mine.” 

Lydia smirked, “Very true…” Void smirked back, saying nothing. Lydia sighed and looked to her left, “It was difficult you know… But we must say, we’re impressed.” 

Void raised a brow, “I thought you might be.” Sebastian frowned, wondering what he meant by that. He felt familiarity between the two, “Well, I suppose I should say it’s a pleasure to meet you officially… You might be the only one who knew I was there this whole time.” 

Lydia chuckled quietly and looked back to him, “We suspected. After all, Stiles never truly found peace after the Corporal Rhys…” She tilted her head, “You look different from him, by the way… Less… _Dead._ ” 

“Compliment?” 

“Observation.” Lydia turned her eyes to Sebastian, “Sebastian Zadroga… _King_ Sebastian, so self-proclaimed.” She remedied. “We would say an honor but… Well…” She trailed off.

Sebastian raised a brow at the way she referred to herself but he brushed it aside and smirked, “Well if you won’t say it, I suppose I will. It is quite an honor to meet a creature who can evade me as efficiently as you have…” He laughed and looked at Void, “Not even your most powerful was capable of that. Tell me… how did you do it?”

Lydia smiled ever so slightly and gave a miniscule shrug, “Details.” Her gaze was then drawn to Derek, she could see the pain in his eyes, scanning the crowd, she saw the reason why, “Where is Isaac?” Scott, Allison and even Liam were there, all held captive, but… she didn’t see Isaac anywhere… where was he?

Derek’s eyes rose to meet hers, dark eyebrows drawn together in pain, “He’s gone—” His voice cracked even as he whispered out. “I failed him…” He sobbed quietly, “I failed him.” 

Lydia’s eyes glazed over “We’re sorry, Derek.” She couldn’t do more than that. Except bring her heated glare to Void “You’re despicable.” 

Void nodded and raised a single brow “It wasn’t anything you didn’t expect.” 

Lydia nodded and then couldn’t stop the humorless laugh that escaped, “We just didn’t expect you to go this deep… After all, we believe Stiles is still in there somewhere and we know he would be greatly opposed to this.”

“He has no choice in the matter.” Void paused, blinking slowly at Lydia, “I sense you are not alone? Who else is here?”

Lydia smiled, “Old friends…” Void raised a brow. Lydia turned back to speak over her shoulder, “You may come out now.”

Void remained emotionless as Erica and Boys stepped out but he could feel a slight tug, just an inch of emotion that reflected what Stiles would have felt in that moment. Erica’s eyes widened seeing ‘Stiles’ in that state. They stopped next to Lydia, deciding not to go any further.

“Batman…” She whispered sadly. 

Void raised a brow, “Well, look what the necromancer kitten dug up from the pet cemetery.” He looked at Lydia, “Did you really think their presence would jolt Stiles awake?”

Lydia shrugged, “Not really, but you asked and… we simply delivered.” There was double meaning behind that. 

Void tilted his head slightly, “I suppose.”

Lydia’s gaze flickered to Sebastian, then back, “Is he any the wiser?” Sebastian raised a brow, wondering what she meant by that.

Void shook his head with a tiny smirk, “None.” His smirk slipped then, replaced by a serious gaze. “Well?”

Lydia smirked, “It’s done… Shall we get started?”

Sebastian narrowed his eyes, “Have you been keeping secrets from me, little Spark?”

Void kept his eyes straight ahead to Lydia as he responded “Really, you should have expected this.” 

Sebastian’s eyes widened “Wha—” his words died from his throat when his eyes caught Lydia’s transformation. 

The Banshee’s eyes turned milky white, her pupils and irises disappearing, her skin went pale and her hair, raven black. The wind picked up around them as the Lydia’s feet left the ground. Once she was high enough, she threw her head back, back arched, took a deep breath and then… She screamed. 

The sound vibrated through the entire Preserve, much stronger and sharper than it had ever been before. The wolves rushed to protect their sensitive ears while the wraith army poised their weapons in caution. Sebastian turned to Void, grasping his arms in a vice grip and turning him so they were facing each other. Void stared up at him with zero emotion on his face, he almost looked too innocent. 

“What is the meaning of this?” The Wraith King growled.

Void blinked and turned his head to look at Lydia again, then back at Sebastian, who had his head turned towards Lydia. Void squinted up at him until the other man brought his gaze back, the Dark Spark smirked, 

“The spirits of vengeance.” 

As if on cue, Lydia’s scream became louder and sharper, now coming out in more than one pitch. Deep bass, alto, soprano… they echoed. All eyes were drawn to her again when a large growl echoed from her; her back arched deeper, contorting her body as multiple orange energy lights flew from her chest. 

Each one coming out faster than the last. Each one shot out of her and straight into the ground, until the last one left her and her scream silenced. Her hair turned back to its light color, her green eyes reappearing, before her body started to descend, Boyd caught her before she could hit the ground.

Everything was quiet for a moment after that and for that moment, Sebastian felt a satisfaction, thinking that whatever plan they had devised against him had failed. He smirked at three across them and tilted his head to his Shadow Guards, “Bring me the Banshee. Kill the other two.” They moved, then he turned to Void and grabbed his arm in a vice grip, “You have some explaining to do.” 

The King made to turn but his attention was brought back to the front when he heard the unmistakable shriek of a dying Shadow Guard. He frowned at the scene when he saw four clouds of smoke… smoke that was once his Guard. The smoke cleared and his eyes widened, “No… It can’t be.” He whispered. He could not believe it, for you see, before him stood a Kitsune… but not just any Kitsune, “ _Inari._ ” He growled. 

The Fox King straightened from the poised position he was in after striking into his four wraiths and stood tall, his blue translucent body covered by a larger orange one… his Kitsune. The man within the Fox smirked at Sebastian, “A promise made is a promise kept…” His smirk deepened, “I told you, you would see me again.”

Void acted quickly, he kicked Sebastian. The wraith—having not expected the attack—flew back with the blow and crashed into his men, they tried to catch him but the force of the blow sent all of them tumbling. Void waved a hand to the wraiths holding Derek, Allison, Liam and Scott, all of them screamed out, each of their fingers breaking. 

“To the meadow, quickly.” Void ordered.

Derek obliged, forgetting his revenge for a moment. Sebastian stood, “Get them.” He growled at his small army, they moved forward running after the four. 

Inari raised a hand, his Kitsune mimicking his movement, “Rise! And defend your honor!” His Kitsune shrieked after him, calling upon his brethren. The ground cracked, then one by one, all the spirits that walked through Lydia to get to this world jumped from the ground, each jumping into battle with Sebastian’s army. 

Said Wraith King stood from the crumbled mess of the tree he’d crashed into and glared at Void, taking a vial from his pocket dimension, he swung it back… it was the Chimera. He rotated his neck, letting out a few pops before he waved his hand to the ground again, four vortexes opened up, from them rising Theo, Jackson, Deucalion and Ethan, all of their eyes green with his persuasion. “Get me the Banshee, kill everything and everyone in your path.” 

The four nodded and ran off to the direction of the meadow, using shadows so the Kitsune army wouldn’t spot them.  
Sebastian settled his eyes on Void again—who had his back to him— currently fighting off five of his wraiths. He waited and observed, waiting for the right moment to strike. His men knew not to kill Void, merely to injure him severely, they still needed his Spark. Sebastian growled… He knew this was too good to be true, Void turning over to their side was just too easy. 

The opening he’d been looking for presented itself when Void pulled something out of his pocket and slashed one of his wraiths across the chest, the man’s back arched as he clutched his chest, almost trying to close the opening, then he exploded into a cloud of smoke. Sebastian’s eyes widened, Void shouldn’t be able to do that, he didn’t have the necessary… weapons. 

As he continued watching, Void danced into a full circle, slashing as he went then crouched low. One by one, all the five wraiths surrounding him let out shrieks and exploded. When the smoke cleared Sebastian saw the black crystal dagger in Void’s hand. His eyes narrowed… It was the one Caspian had… when had he taken it? 

Then it hit him…

*~~~~~~*

_Void crouched beside Caspian and slid a hand into his hair. After Caspian closed his eyes, Void slid his hand down to the floor, then he stood —nothing in his hand— and turned to Sebastian… “There. He won’t awaken until I command it. If anyone asks, tell them he fell victim to an unknown illness.”_

*~~~~~~*

The Wraith King smirked and let out a chuckled… He had subconsciously shoved the information away. My, how could he have underestimated him like that? A gross mistake on his part, one never to be repeated. Noticing that his wraiths now feared Void, Sebastian used his speed to rush to him, noticing how Void’s eyes turned to him, but the Dark Spark didn’t even flinch. In fact, he stood straighter, as if waiting for him to approach… But he never made it.

When he was at arm’s length from Void, his path was blocked and he collided with none other than the Kitsune King himself, “Why don’t you pick on somebody your own size?” He shoved Sebastian back, but the Wraith King was ready. He burst into smoke and reappeared on the ground a few feet away from Inari. They began circling each other. 

Sebastian smirked, “I killed you once… Do you know nothing of learning your lessons?” 

“My only mistake was underestimating you the last time we fought… One I will not be repeating again.” He charged, Sebastian meeting him in the middle. While Sebastian kept using his shadow form to evade him, Inari was fast, even in his large form. Seeing that he would need more than his fists, Sebastian clapped his hands together and slid them apart, revealing a black blade. 

“Remember this?” He asked, slashing it across his opponent, Inari jumped back, barely missing the blade. Then he glared at Sebastian.

“The _Black Blade of Zadroga…_ ” Inari sneered, “A weapon of your father’s making.” 

“And,” Sebastian added, “The blade that struck _you_ and your _bride_ down.” He chuckled “A wedding of the ages.” 

The Asian King nodded his head and grabbed the hilt of his Katana in both hands, then twisted, breaking the once singular blade into two, then he clicked them together, they caught fire, bursting into orange flames. He slid low into a battle stance and narrowed his eyes at Sebastian,

“Let us see if history can repeat itself.” 

Sebastian smirked, “Oh, I’m sure it very well can.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise motherfunka! You saw this coming, didn't you? I know at least one person did... Commented about it a couple of chapters ago, very insightful reader.  
> So... This is me sitting here in my 2AM caffeinated feelings... I'm pouting right now... for no reason whatsoever... Yeah. 
> 
> Yup... Sorry for any mistakes in this chapter, I'll see you in the next one.  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Never run, never hide...**   
>  **Always up for the fight...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't guessed it by now, I'm using lyrics on the summary. On the last chapter that I use the summary, I will write the song name and the artist. Though, I'm sure some of you who've watched TW already recognize the song because it's a soundtrack from season 5b's season finale... I love the song so much, it's been with me for years now and it's emotional and super inspirational. I just felt it fit what was going on here, but I will also be using other songs in future chapters. 
> 
> Okay, the battle continues, but we move away from the main battle in this chapter. Enjoy...  
> Onward.

**Beacon Hills  
The Meadow**

Hayden’s eyes widened when more people entered the meadow than the number that left. She blinked at Derek’s distraught state, he was wearing nothing but black pants and a black shirt that looked extremely vintage… But it was Allison and Scott that made her eyes bulge. 

“Allison!” Merissa and Caroline rushed to her side, helping her walk with her injuries as Scott stayed behind with the wolves.

“Liam! Jesus, look at you, did you rumble with a truck?!” Hayden cried, rushing to touch his face. 

“Alright that’s cute and all, but we have a war happening out there so, might wanna get ready for that.” Erica rushed past them, causing Hayden to follow her with a confused stare.

“Erm… I’m pretty sure I missed something.”

Lydia sighed, “They can’t get in here, we’re safe for now. I—” She looked back at them, only for her green eyes to widen. “Scott! Look out!” 

Too late, Scott was pulled by the back of his shirt and since he didn’t have any purchase, he went down easy and fast, but whatever pulled him was pulled back itself, taking him with it. “Scott!” Allison cried, but the other huntresses held her back.

Hayden paused, mouth agape, her mind still catching up… “Was that Jackson?” 

“Shit!” Derek threw off his clothes and transformed into his wolf form, already growling as he exited the meadow, colliding with… Deucalion. He growled; of all people he could have come across it had to be the former Alpha of Alphas. 

The black wolf paused, staring at the man who snarled back at him—having lost his Alpha Spark, Deucalion was in his beta human form— his eyes glowing green. That wasn’t right… His attention was brought to Theo when he ran past him and straight for the meadow, he disappeared through the curtain for a second before flying right out, crashing into an unsuspecting wraith. 

Boyd came running after him. He noticed Derek and Deucalion’s eyes on him “I got him! You handle that one!” He told Derek, his Beta face already out. 

Lydia paused, wondering what to do next, her eyes landed on Peter… He was taking too long, why wasn’t he waking? She hoped he wasn’t lost, they got separated within the Nemeton and she made it back first. Since she only had one job to do, she can’t go back inside the Nemeton. Her eyes widened, but maybe someone else can. But… he can’t enter the meadow.

Void was the one who hurled Jackson back, he dropped him in the middle of the battle field when he himself was attacked by another wraith and they got separated. Void went off, carried by the battle, leaving Scott behind to deal with Jackson. 

Scott crouched low, glaring at Jackson. “Jackson, stop! I am your Alpha!” 

The other chuckled, pacing in front of Scott, “Well, see it’s funny you say that, McCall, because all _I_ see is a weak… little… _Beta._ ” Scott sighed, even though he could clearly see that Jackson was not himself, he was irritated because that was exactly something that Jackson would say. “You know,” Jackson started, “I’m gonna enjoy ruffling you up.”  
Scott growled, his fangs lowering, “Right. Let’s see if you can deliver on that.” 

**~~***~~**

They were fast, Derek noted, he doesn’t know what the wraiths did to them but they weren’t expressly wolves, they had their fangs and claws, yes, but with his Alpha eyes showed him that he wasn’t a wolf, not really… It was almost as if… 

Deucalion pounced before he could finish the thought, Derek ducked down low. Deucalion was fast but his movements weren’t as fluid as those of a werewolf, so Derek got him fast. He sank his teeth deep into Deucalion’s leg, sending him to the ground, the he crawled up quickly to pin him to the ground, but Deucalion got his snout with an elbow. Derek’s vision blurred for a second with the pain, giving the other a chance to lock an arm around his neck, rolling them to the ground. 

The Alpha’s head started swelling, his hearing going fuzzy as his circulation was cut off. Dark spots appeared in his vision when suddenly air rushed back into his lungs. It took a moment to gain his bearings back, when he finally did, he saw Deucalion in a heated fight with Erica and Hayden. Another crashed into him and this time he didn’t wait to roll them into position and sink his teeth into their jugular. 

The body beneath his spasmed and the person let out a gurgle, blood running from their mouth. Derek was thrown off of him. He rolled a few feet but managed to get to his feet and dig his claws into the ground to get purchase. He growled at nothing in particular, eyes moving around to find the assailant… But the assailant found _him_ first.

Void drove the black dagger into another wraith and turned to glare at Derek. “ _Idiot!_ You can’t kill them, they’re under Sebastian’s—” Void gasped suddenly, his eyes going wide, mouth agape as he let out a silent gasp. He looked down at his chest to find a black blade sticking out. 

Sebastian’s face appeared to his right, the man was smirking, his right eye was completely green, sclera and all, with the same green veins that Void saw when he was angered by Caspian. Void’s eyes flickered between black, whiskey and bright purple as the pain spread through him. He watched as the battle halted; everyone paused to watch his downfall; the wraiths, the wolves, and the Kitsune small army. But the latter of the bunch did not stay… Instead, they flickered where they stood and then, simply disappeared. 

Everything moved incredibly slowly to Void’s/Stiles’ eyes.

Lydia ran out of the meadow like she was pushed, eyes watering with nothing but extreme pain. The Banshee’s green eyes landed on his, just as his eyes settled on whiskey brown, skin regaining its color… he was Stiles again. Lydia coughed and slapped her hands over her mouth.

_No! No, it can’t be! Not now! Please not now!_

Sebastian, seeing the Banshee’s suffering knew exactly what was happening. He opened a vortex next to him, summoning his loyal servant “Deaton…It’s time.”

The Darach rose from the black portal, medium jar filled with a swirl of black tornado already in hand. He opened the lid and whispered a few words, the tornado rose from the jar and flew to Stiles, entering slowly through his open mouth and nose. When the last of it disappeared within him, Sebastian watched black ink bleed from his pupils to cover the rest of his eyes, leaving nothing but black midnight in its wake. The King slid his blade out of Stiles and let him drop to the ground, black empty voids where his beautiful whiskey eyes once laid. They remained as such, never closing again.

This was it… this was confirmation. Lydia dropped to her knees; her legs not strong enough to hold her up anymore. She clenched her eyes tightly—hot tears running down her face— and clenched her teeth, hoping that if she didn’t say it… it wouldn’t be true… but the need got unbearable, it burned her throat. She couldn’t hold it in anymore… 

_“STIIIILLLEEESSS!!!!!!”_

Sebastian merely blinked at the Banshee, completely unbothered by her pain. “Have you found them?” He asked the Darach next to him. 

Deaton nodded, “They are well protected, but the wards should be exponentially weakened now.” He gave a knowing look to the crumbled body of the Spark who cast them. “It’ll be easy to penetrate the fortress.” 

Sebastian nodded. “To it then… Do not disappoint me.” He opened a vortex to transport him. 

Deaton rolled his eyes as he lowered into the portal, “When have I ever, your Majesty?”

**~~***~~**

**Peter's Apartment**

Cora jumped to her feet, her eyes wide, chest moving up and down rapidly. She ran to the balcony and looked far off into the distance, eyes frantically flickering left and right. The eclipse’s orange casting light didn’t do much for her senses, they were on overdrive. She couldn’t shut down her other senses to use one at a time as they were all incredibly heightened and sensitive. 

She was still debating whether or not she had imagined that or not when she heard whimpers behind her. She shook her head and cleared her mind before turning to the sound, Petra and Claudie standing by the balcony doors, holding hands, wide watery eyes staring out at the same view she was staring at. The big fat tears finally slid down their cheeks, followed very closely by the sobs. 

“Tata…” They whimpered, free arms reaching out towards the distance as they walked to the balcony’s edge, but Cora grabbed them before they could go any further. They barely struggled, going numb against her and crying into her shoulders. 

She walked into the house, “Mr Stilinski!” 

John came down the stairs, his eyes instantly drawn to his crying grandchildren. “What happened?” He asked as he rushed forward. Cora handed Claudie over to him and used her now free hand to close the balcony doors, then she turned to John. His heart sank, seeing her wet eyes. “Cora?” 

The Hale wolf bit her lip, she couldn’t exactly tell John what she heard because that would mean explaining and if she had to explain, it made it real to her too. So, she bent the truth a little, “They just started crying… I think they miss Stiles.” 

John took it, he turned to comfort Claudie and reached for Petra, Cora gladly handed her over and didn’t follow when John disappeared off to the kitchen to calm them… she needed to think and fast. Her eyes went wide suddenly, ears twitching… she heard whispers in the wind, turning back to the balcony doors, she opened them, she was instantly assaulted by a chant in the air. Walking to the edge of the balcony, she leaned on the railings and leaned over to look down at the ground…

For a moment she didn’t see anything, until one, two, three… _six_ figures appeared from the treeline across the garden park, all cloaked in what Cora could only label as ‘wizard cloaks.’ They paused, hands outstretched up and high as they continued to chant, faster and louder they went. A moment later, a gust of strong wind blew from where they stood, hitting Cora so hard she flew back into the wall, the balcony doors slamming shut too. Grunting, the wolf stood and rubbed her head where it hit the wall, looking back at the doors when John came running to unlock them. 

“Cora, what—” He paused with a frown, “What’s that?” 

Cora noticed then that the chanting had resumed. She moaned softly, her head throbbing a bit and walked back over to the railings. Looking down, she spotted the six figures now standing right below their balcony. One of them looked up at her and waved their hand at her, obviously meaning to attack her. Cora flinched back but the blast did not reach her this time, instead the blow bounced on the invisible wall barrier surrounding the building and ricocheted back to the castor. 

_She_ —by the feminine shriek she let out—cried out as she flew back and landed on her back. Her hood fell back, allowing Cora to see her face. The wolf was sure she’d seen her somewhere before… 

Okay, John was freaked out. “Who the hell are they and what are they doing?” Cora shook her head, she didn’t know, but if she had to take a wild guess—

“Grr! The damn _Spark_ protected the building as well!” One of them growled, this one male. Cora’s sensitive hearing caught that but John still stood confused. It was the next voice that made Cora’s blood run cold…

“No matter… Keep attacking, the wards will not resist for much longer.” The man chuckled, “Especially since the Spark is dead.”  
Cora froze… So, it’s true then… What she heard earlier was real. 

_“STIIIILLLEEESSS!!!!”_

Peter told her that the one way to confirm that a person was truly dead was Lydia screaming for them… and she had. Cora turned her blurry stare to John, the man was blissfully oblivious, looking down at the tiny black figures glaring up at them. Cora’s heart broke… for John, for Petra and for Claudie but… A strong pang in her chest had her choking back a sob. How did her uncle take it? 

Where was Peter and what was he doing right now?

“Find the barrier’s weakness… we will target the area.”

Cora turned her glare back down to the man, her fangs dropping as she let out a snarl. John turned to her. “What is it?” 

Cora’s nose wrinkled in disgust; they were right. “It’s Deaton… He brought them here.”

John’s eyes widened, he knew Deaton was one of them, him being involved was no surprise. What _was_ a surprise was that he was on the other side, wasn’t he the one Stiles said they went to for assistance every once and then? “What are they doing?” 

“They’re trying to break through Stiles’ wards…” Cora whispered, casting a quick glance to the Sheriff, “We’re still safe for now. But…”

“But what?”

Cora frowned “The wards won’t hold for long.” She turned to him. “You need to be ready.” 

The others on the ground dropped their hoods too and held hands, sharing and combining power to break the wards. Cora blinked and took a step back when the barrier shimmered into reality, the image of the Darachs or witches or whatever the hell they were—she wasn’t sure— becoming blurry as the water-like translucent wall separated them. 

Cora looked down, her blue wolf eyes showing her the purple pentagram ward that protected them, she noticed the Triskelion marks in it, and some runic writings but she couldn’t read it. 

Looking back inside the house, she saw the same wards on the ceiling and on selected walls in every room that was in sight. Cora’s brows furrowed in sorrow… Stiles did all of this just to protect her uncle? 

John’s human eyes blinding him to his son’s magic, he went back in the house to retrieve his gun and to load it with Stiles’ special bullets. If these freaks think they’re getting to his grandchildren, they have another thing coming. 

“Take the twins upstairs. I’m calling for back-up.” 

Cora blinked, “What?... Wait, who? Everyone is at the Preserve.”

John turned to her, “Not everyone.”

Cora frowned and tilted her head in confusion, but John just turned and continued off to the kitchen to make his phone call. 

*~***~*

Cora gathered the twins and took them to their room. It was curious that the twins had a room expressly for them in this particular apartment, it was furnished with everything, including beds. They were small toddler beds with rails but they weren’t cribs. They were also there when they got to the apartment which means Peter was not the one who bought them, they were bought recently but not by any of them… She could only guess Stiles.

But she wondered why Stiles would buy them beds in a place he wasn’t planning on staying at.

When she opened their room door, she finally received her answer. Unlike every other room in the house where the protective wards were just on the ceilings and walls. Unlike the rest of the apartment, the twins’ room had wards on every wall, the floor and the ceiling and when Cora went to close the door, she saw one behind the door as well… Her eyes went wide for the umpteenth time in the past half-hour… 

That’s why the Witch/Darachs called this a fortress… Stiles fortified this place specifically for his children… He must have done it before he left Beacon Hills and/or after he came back, before the wraiths took him. 

She closed the door and watched in wonder as lines traveled from each ward, connecting them all together. She blinked and reached for the handle, twisting it, she tried to pull the door open but it wasn’t even an inch open before it slammed itself shut again. Blinking dumbly again, she tried to open it again but it wouldn’t open. 

Sighing in defeat she turned to the twins, they were eerily quiet after having sobbed their little hearts out minutes ago. They just sat there, clasping their stuffed animals in their free arms while they still held hands with their free hands. Her attention was drawn to the bracelets, they always seem to be holding those specific hands and she wondered if it meant anything of importance.

She looked up at their faces again, staring into their attentive blue purple eye—wait… Blue purple? Upon closer inspection she found that yes, their eyes were indeed the same shade of electric blue as hers but they were scattered with large flecks of purple, the eyes almost seeming to fight with each other. She frowned… weren’t the bracelets supposed to keep their sparks at bay? 

Then it came to… The eclipse, it must be affecting them like it was everyone else.

She jumped a bit when she heard the tell-tale sound of a gun going off—with a silencer attached— followed by the sound of glass breaking. “Shit!” She whispered, going to try the door again. She couldn’t stay in here while John was out there. “John!” She tried calling out but nothing. Walking over to the window, she pulled the curtains aside, sighing in relief when she saw the barrier still up. The door opened a moment later, revealing a very sheepish looking Sheriff. 

“Uh… So, this barrier thing is very much two sided huh?” His bullet bounced right off the barrier, ricocheted and hit a vase… He hoped it wasn’t some priceless antique. What? Peter seemed like the type.

Cora closed her eyes in exasperation and sighed in relief, “Yeah, that wasn’t very smart. Don’t close the door!” She walked over to take his place by the door, holding it open. “So, where’s the back-up you were talking about?” 

A knock sounded by the door then. John smiled, “That would be them right now.” He walked past Cora to answer the door. 

The wolf paused, “They?” She glanced back at the twins, they were still quietly sitting there, watching everything go down. Going over to them she placed a hand on each of their heads, smiling a little when they looked up at her, remembering the same look from Stiles in kindergarten. “Will you stay here for Aunt Cora and your Papa?” They nodded silently. Laying a kiss on each of their heads, she rushed out, closing the door behind her. She stopped for a moment, pausing to hear if the wards closed again, then continuing on downstairs. 

When she got downstairs, she was honestly surprised at the so-called back-up that John had. “How the hell did _you_ get past the wards?” She asked the man. 

“Nice to see you too, Cora.” Chris Argent greeted. “Been a while.” Three of his guards standing by the door. 

“You didn’t answer my question, _Argent._ ” Could you blame Cora? There was a group of Witch-Darachs chanting to bring down Stiles’ wards out there and Chris freaking Argent managed not only to get past them but Stiles’ barrier at the door too? There was a fish stinking up the air and Cora wanted to know who had it in their pocket. 

“He’s been in the building since I called him two days ago.” John filled her in. Cora turned accusing eyes to him, causing him to shrug, “What? I thought we might need help with—” 

**_*BOOM!*_ **

The building shook after the loud blast. Chris, Cora and John turned to the balcony—being the only source of the outside view they had— but Cora’s wolf eyes were the only ones that saw the shimmering barrier… it was coming down. 

“Cora… what is it?” John asked, seeing her distressed state. 

She turned to Chris, “You know what we’re up against?” 

Nod “John filled me in.”

Cora bit her lip, kind of angry that John told the Hunter their secrets but also impressed that he was smart enough to think up a contingency plan in case the others didn’t come back in time to help, or couldn’t hold all of their enemies off. She nodded to the four men. 

“The barrier is coming down… _Fast._ ” 

John looked outside, then back to Cora, confusion a primary mask, “Wait, you can _see_ it?” 

Instead of answering, Cora looked up at the pentagram above them, then at the one to the far wall, they still seemed strong, if not brighter, obviously fighting against the force outside since the outside barrier was weakened. She looked back to Chris. “We can’t attack from in here… We’ll have to go to them.” 

Chris nodded, “We scouted the area since yesterday, there are a lot of blind spots that—Can you see them from up here?” He asked, pointing to the balcony. In lieu of an answer, Cora gestured him along to look for himself. Chris and his men walked over to see what the commotion was all about. His eyes widened when he spotted the one man he did not expect to see, “Is that Deaton? I thought he was dead.” 

“Well, he’s not.” Cora snapped, “Are we going or not?” 

John frowned, “We? No, you’re staying with the twins.” He flinched slightly wen Cora turned her piercing blue gaze to him; he was still getting used to the whole glowy werewolf eyes thing. He held his ground though, even as the girl glared, “You’re here to protect them, so, protect them and I’ll go with Chris and—”

“Look, no offense, Sheriff, but you are _way_ in over your head here!” Cora snapped in frustration, “Besides, if we go out there, hopefully we can stop them from taking down the wards, you’ll be safe with the twins. You need to stay with them as their guardian, especially now that Stiles is—” Her mouth snapped shut, eyes going wide at her stupidity. 

John glared at her, “Now that Stiles is what?” 

Cora kept her gaze low, thinking of something to say quickly. She had to find a way to make the man stay, if John went out there, anything could happen. Then it hit her, she didn’t need to convince him to stay… she could just lock him up… Looking up, she smirked at the man. “You’re right… I’m better suited to protect them, I'll stay. You go with Chris and…” She sighed, “Look, just be careful, okay?” 

John nodded, “I’m not Sheriff without reason, I’m a pretty good shot.” He smirked.

Cora nodded. Chris came back, followed by his Hunter friends. “Alright, we have our blind spots. Who’s coming, who’s staying?” 

John made to follow them to the door but Cora stopped them, “You should see the twins before you leave… just in case…” John nodded and headed for the stairs, Cora’s devious gaze following his back. She narrowed her eyes at his retreating form, “Wait here, be right back.” She followed after John. Rushing up the stairs quickly, she entered the twins’ room right behind him, stopping him before he reached the twins, “Wait, uhm… your gun… wouldn’t want them seeing that. I’ll hold it for you.” 

John nodded, handing the pistol over before approaching his grandchildren. He paused, seeing the color of their eyes, but then he recovered when they blinked up at him, offering them a smile in return. 

Cora looked at the gun in her hand, then peered at John through her lashes and turned to the door. Grasping the handle, she threw over her shoulder, “Sorry, John… But they need you more than they need me.” With that she closed the door quickly, hearing John’s footsteps rush closer. She saw the handle giggle, but the door didn’t open.

“Cora. Open the door.” The Sheriff sighed on the other side.

Cora pursed her lips, tightening her grip on the handle, she pushed down, breaking it, just in case the wards stopped working, the Stilinski’s would still be trapped inside the room. “This isn’t your fight… Take good care of them.” She called through the door, then pulled away. 

When she got downstairs, Chris raised a brow, noting that John wasn’t following, and noting the pistol in her hand, that she did not have when she went upstairs. “John?” 

Cora walked past him, picked up the bag that contained John’s mini arsenal and slung it over her shoulder, leading the way out the door, “Staying behind. Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter for today. Truly hope you enjoyed reading.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and for reaching this point. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate every single read, comment, bookmark and kudos. Sorry for mistakes if there are any, lots of love, stay safe and I will see you tomorrow...  
> TTFN.  
> \--Nixie.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Give me time to give up, but I’m not gonna stop,**   
>  **We’ll keep getting it wrong until we get it right…**   
>  **And we’ll fight ‘til the end.**
> 
> **_"Fight 'til the End" - Jack Savoretti_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... it is almost 2AM of the 29th of November, leaving me with exactly 2 days to put up 8 chapters... Do you think I can do it? Challenge accepted!  
> Tomorrow is Part 1 finale (season 1 finale XD) of Legacy of Iskra! \\(^_^)/
> 
> But anyway, I'll let you get on with this chapter.  
> Onward!

**Beacon Hills  
Hale Apartments**

Cora, Chris and the hunters snuck out without so much as a breath from any of the other occupants of the building. Cora frowned; it was like the humans were unaware of the six little demons outside that were trying to kill them. First, they took the elevator down to the basement parking lot, that’s when Cora remembered something important. She grabbed Chris’ arm when the man went to head for the main exit. 

“Wait!” 

“What?” Chris frowned. “You hear something?” 

Cora shook her head, “This is Peter’s building.” Her eyes wide with epiphany, a grin then spread on her face before she turned and ran in the opposite direction of the exit. “Come on!” She called over her shoulder. 

They ran until they reached a dead-end. “Okay, nice wall. What’s going on?” Chris asked. 

The wolf stayed silent for a moment, feeling the wall for… well, something. A moment later she grinned, stood back and fired three shots at the wall, cracking the concrete, then she pulled back a fist and punched right through, coming up with a chunk of brick every time she pulled back. Chris’ eyes widened; it was a tunnel. 

“Well? You gonna stand there and gawk or are you gonna help me with this?” Cora snarled. The hunters blinked and helped her break down the wall, as far as they could without having her supernatural strength, of course. 

As soon as a big enough hole was open, Cora was the first to go through, one leg after the other. Chris paused for a moment before following, he highly doubted Cora would lead them astray… What would she have to gain from that at this particular point? 

They went down the stairs and landed on wet floors. Chris frowned, how were they in sewage tunnels that didn’t stink? Then it hit him… he knew this place. 

“Peter built an apartment building over the water tunnels and kept them open?” The county had, of course, ordered all tunnels closed for children’s safety. It was a law enacted after multiple kids were found in several tunnels and some disappeared after venturing off there. Chris would know this because his father always told him that those kids did not go missing, that they were killed by the monstrous werewolves… or more accurately… the _Hale_ pack. 

Cora rolled her eyes, “Well, it wasn’t exactly open since we had to bust down a brick wall, now was it?” She sighed, “Besides, this is the only way we’ll get to your blind spots. This will take us straight to the treeline.” 

Chris was a little confused on that point because for all the scouting they did, both he and his hunters didn’t spot a trap door. But he decided he would just trust the wolf… they always knew more than he did. 

*~***~*

True enough to Cora’s words, they appeared under one of the larger trees, the trapdoor was moss covered so nobody would notice it and Chris would be damned… His most elite did not notice it. They closed the door back down and rushed forward, making sure to stay in the shadows. 

Cora stopped directly behind Deaton’s gang, aiming her gun at the main man himself. Chris and his men spread out through to the other trees. Sharing a nod, they turned back to the enemy and aimed. Before they took their shots, however, the Witch/Darachs blasted the barrier again, shaking the entire building and with it, the ground. 

Cora and the Hunters lost their balance, falling back to the ground. One of the others’ guns went off, alerting the enemy to their presence. 

“Shit!” Cora yelled, standing on her feet, she barely got a shot in at any of them before she was air bound, thrown over the cloaked figures, towards the building. “Argh!” She cried out as he back collided with the side of the building. She gathered her bearings quickly and stood.

“Cora! Look out!” Chris cried. 

The wolf flinched back from the attack that came her way, pressing her back against the wall, but the blast didn’t reach her. She blinked when it bounced off the barrier, sending rippled across the surface. A grin spread across Cora’s face. “Hurry! Get behind the barrier! I’ll cover you!” She yelled to the hunters still hiding in the trees. 

With that, she jumped forward, running through the barrier, then she starting shooting. Her target was Deaton, she was taking the asshole down! As she shot, the hunters ran for the barrier. She almost paused at the increased numbers, there was three more hunters than she came with. She jumped to the side, dodging another blast. “Shit. How are they doing that?” She aimed and shot again, catching one of them between the eyes. “Gotcha.” She smirked. 

“No!” Another yelled, running to the fallen body. 

Cora watched in horror as the body she shot caught fire and burned to ash. Everything froze, the Witch/Darachs shocked at the remaining ashes of their comrade. Cora gaped down at her gun “Damn, Stilinski, what the hell did you put in these?”

“Cora!” 

“Aah!” The wolf yelled as her shoulder suddenly caught fire. She doesn’t remember much of what happened after that but she remembers opening her eyes and growling at the pain exploding through her entire left side. “ _OOOWWW! FUCK!_ ” She yelled, her vision blurring with tears. She threw her head back and continued “ _Shiiiit! What the fucking hell was that?!_ ” she thrashed and kicked like her whole body was on fire. Well, it certainly felt like it.

Chris ripped her plaid shirt away from the burnt skin—she was wearing a tank top underneath— as his hunters continued shooting at the others. He felt bile rise up in his throat and it was only thanks to years—decades— of training that he did not empty his stomach right then. Cora’s shoulder looked like the flesh had been eaten away by acid, no wonder she was creaming bloody murder. Those were definitely not the kind of burns caused by a fire, whatever they threw at her, it looked like fire but ate like acid. The burns were several muscles deep but he couldn’t see bone so that was good. 

He took a deep breath to calm his queasiness and turned back to her eyes, “Well, you’ve successfully pissed them off and to answer your question, I’d say some kind of acid.” He sighed, watching the wound, there was absolutely nothing he could do about that one. “The good news is if you weren’t a werewolf, you’d be dead. The bad news… Since you’re conscious, you’ll be feeling every bit of the pain.” Cora moaned, choking back a sob. Chris looked up to see his men holding their own and he made an executive decision. “Alright, we need to get you up to—” 

**_*BOOM!*_ **

His ears rang for what felt like forever, his vision blurred. Chris lay there, the only sound besides the ringing being his own heavy breathing. Then it came back to him, first the tightness of his chest, then the fact that he was laying on the ground, his head hurt and there was something wet running across his forehead. 

He had just opened his eyes when he was roughly picked up off the ground and slammed into the wall… He opened his eyes and oh… surprise, surprise. 

“Hello, Chris. Never thought I’d see the day when you were working with the wolves… or is it _for_ them?” Deaton greeted with a smug grin. 

Chris groaned and met him with a glare, “Gotta hand it to you, Deaton… You sure are one sneaky son of a bitch.” 

Deaton laughed, “Let’s not bring my mother into this.” He mocked. Then his attention turned to his right, “Careful… Sebastian wants that one alive.” He warned a pixie haired witch who went to kill Cora for what she did. 

“She killed Mika!” The witch yelled, “She killed my _brother!_ ” She grabbed an unconscious Cora by the neck. Chris silently hoped she wasn’t dead. 

Deaton was unimpressed, “Your brother knew there would be consequences and so did you. I hope I don’t need to remind you of what’s at stake here, Mila.”

The witch pursed her lips and glared away from him. Another girl with black shoulder length hair, extremely pale skin and black lipstick slashed the last hunter’s throat and strutted past them. “Well, the barrier is down… Let’s go get the brats.” 

Deaton turned back to Chris “Don’t worry, you won’t be dying… not today. Sebastian has need for a rare form of special blooded hunters and… well, Argents are scarce. We wouldn’t want the last remaining two to die out.” Chris held out hope… His daughter was still alive. “Yes… Pretty Alison is still very much alive. Through maybe not for long if she keeps antagonizing the King.”

With that said, Deaton dragged Chris along inside the building. 

**~~***~~**

**Peter’s Apartment**

John paced the length of the room, absolutely fuming that he let himself get tricked and now… Now he has no idea what was going on out there. He thought he heard something a moment ago… like lightning meeting a tree. The Sheriff wondered how Cora and Chris were doing, hoping they hadn’t gotten themselves killed. 

He turned again, looking at his grandchildren. He was glad they found peace enough to fall asleep. Their room was absolutely silent… It was as through nothing was going on outside and that worried John. He needed to know what was happening in order to prepare himself for what’s to come. 

He tried the door again to no avail. Sighing, he took a seat in the rocking chair by the corner of the room. It was Claudia’s… He’d wondered where it went several times but apparently his son had been working on this room for a long time. The room had most things that belonged to Stiles when he was a child. John really missed those days… Everything was so simple back then. 

*~***~* 

Chris grunted as he was thrown on the floor inside Peter’s apartment… Of course, they knew which one it was. Deaton had probably been stalking all of them since _birth…_ Asshole. They marched into the place like they owned it, kicking stuff over in anger and revulsion. He saw Cora land a little distance away from him, the force jostling her to consciousness, but she didn’t open her eyes. She did stir, though, so that was a relief. 

“Knock, knock, kiddies! Santa Clause is early this year…” The ‘Emo Witch’ chuckled to herself, letting loose a smirk. Chris hoped to god that John stayed up there and not attempt to come to their rescue, but he remained silent… Then something hit him, he could fool these fools. 

Letting out a chuckle, he coughed a bit as pain shot up his back, “You really think we would keep them here? And I thought you were all smart.” Pain hot in his left side when a kick landed in his ribs. 

“Mila! I told you Sebastian wants him alive; you kill him and it’s your head.” Deaton snapped, heading up the stairs. Mila snarled down at Chris but she did move away, not going far, she stood disinterested as the others searched for the twins, probably still torn over her brother’s loss. Chris couldn’t find it in him to give a crap.

He panicked seeing them heading up the stairs, but he knew if he said anything, he would most definitely be confirming that someone was indeed up there. His eyes travelled to Cora to find her looking at him, she gave him a small nod, eyes flickering up to Mila and back. Chris nodded, he was probably going to break something but… well, it was worth it… for John.

“You know… Mila, was it?” Chris started, calling attention to the woman, “You seem like a nice witch, what are you getting out of this?” He didn’t get anything from her, obviously she was trying to ignore him but he knew he could get to her if he dug deeper. So, he decided to hit a sore spot, “Oh, wait… I guess your payment is burying your brother.” The witch’s eyes snapped to him. Yes, one final small push and… “Oh, damn, that’s right… You can’t bury ashes, but I mean you could sweep him up and—” 

He didn’t get to finish and he had to flinch back as Mila went to jump on him, but before she could grab him, Cora kicked the back of her leg, knocking her off balance, then she grabbed her hair and hurled her down, rolling with her. Chris watched Cora spring back up to her legs but Mila didn’t, the wolf’s beta face was fiercely present, her right hand bloody as she growled down at the motionless body of the witch. 

“That’s for my shoulder, bitch.” Cora snarled. 

She flew across the room and crushed into the glass balcony doors, rolling to the edge, her fall prevented by the rails, but she grunted and got up on shaky legs. Chris decided to help then, he grabbed knife from his belt and hurled it across the room, catching the emo witch in the thigh. She growled and turned to him, but Cora jumped on her. 

Their fight became so intense that a spell narrowly missed Chris’ head. He tried to crawl behind the couch but he was dragged back by his leg, it was another Darach, the one that followed Deaton upstairs. He must have come down when he heard the commotion. 

“Sebastian wants you alive, hunter… but he never said in perfect condition.” 

Chris managed to roll away, missing the foot to his head and swiped another knife from his boot, jumping to his feet. He parried a punch by the Darach and swung his knife but the big man jumped back. The hunter had to admit that the man had an advantage, not only was he younger, but he was muscled and huge. It made him slow but if Chris got too close and missed, he would be crushed. Not to mention, the man was a Darach, he could hit him with whatever magic he had up his sleeve. 

Chris thought of throwing the knife but… It was the only weapon he had left on him. He narrowly missed an uppercut but a hard kick landed on his chest, sending him to the floor. He rolled to the side again to miss the coming stomp and thrust his knife into the Darach’s calf, pulling it out as he rolled a safe distance away to stand again. His chest was killing him and he could feel his broken rib tickling his lungs but he pushed on. This was not his first fatal injury and he would be damned if it was his last… To take him to his grave, that is. He did not make a habit of getting injured. 

A crash sounded upstairs and a moment later, Deaton followed, tumbling down the stairs like a thrown man. He never got up, obviously unconscious. That was the opening Chris needed. While the Darach was distracted with Deaton’s appearance, he swung his knife again, but the man used his arm to block it, receiving a deep gash across his forearm. He got angry and grabbed Chris’ arm, breaking his wrist so he dropped the knife, then he landed a solid punch on his jaw and Chris saw Pluto. He was still floating in space when he was slammed against the hard floor. 

The Darach picked up his knife and growled down at him, hand on his throat. “Screw what Sebastian said, we’ll just call this a technical difficulty.” He raised the knife up, ready to slam it into Chris’ heart. His arm came down and… 

“No!” A loud, no… _two_ loud shrieks came from the top of the stairs. The Darach turned to find the twins standing at the top of the stairs. 

The Darach’s eyes widened at the sight they made. They were holding hands—as usual—and the stones on their bracelets were glowing blindingly bright, but it wasn’t that or the bright blue-purple eyes that shimmered back at him with anger and resentment that he didn’t think… two-year-olds? —he couldn’t tell— possessed. 

Oh, no, it was the giant orange translucent Kitsune that stood over them, looking like a simple giant covering these two tiny figures. 

The orange fox rushed forward and before the Darach could react slammed into him, flinging him back through the wall across the room. The fox hovered over him, bright eyes burning into his own and he knew… The Darach knew it was his end. The Kitsune brought his arm up and swung down… It was a quick death. 

Chris gaped at the two kids… He had so many questions. Like where the hell was John but that could wait, Cora still needed help. 

**~~***~~** 

Cora was livid, it was one thing fighting an enemy you could get close to, as a wolf, but these damn witches… Little miss emo vampire kept flinging spells at her and she couldn’t get close enough to sink her claws, let alone her fangs, into that neck of hers. “Argh!” She cried out again as her body connected with the metal rails, it was a wonder the thing hadn’t come unhinged yet. She definitely had a broken rib or _all_ of them.

The witch strutted out into the balcony with arrogance, smirking down at Cora. The wolf tried to get up but an invisible forced slammed her right back down, pinning her and keeping her there. From her periphery, she could see the witch’s outstretched hand, ooh, she wanted to take a bite out of it so bad. Let’s see how you do magic without hands _Sabrina._

“Had enough yet?” The witch sneered, “Because I could keep going on forev—” She gasped suddenly, her back arching. Cora breathed out in relief; pressure finally released off her body. The witch turned her head to the side, she was met with the hunter’s face.

“I’m sure you could but…” Chris removed the knife from her back and in a swift motion, slashed it across her throat, letting her drop to the floor, gurgling mess and all, before finishing his statement. “We’re just _not_ in the mood.” 

Cora coughed and sat up, moaning slightly in pain. She was covered in all types of grime and dirt and she had gashes everywhere and a few broken bones. And her burnt shoulder was still mostly open but for some reason she was healing up much faster than she usually did. She chucked it up to the eclipse and moved from it. 

Damn… being an aunt/cousin was hard as fuck. She grunted and snapped her wrist back into place before scowling up at Chris. “Took you long enough, Jesus.” Her words were a little slurred because of her fangs. She retracted them then, along with her beta face, leaving only the blue eyes of her wolf.

Chris rolled his eyes, of course a Hale would insult him in lieu of a thank you. “Sorry, I was busy getting killed by a Dara…” He trailed off, remembering what had saved him. He turned back to the house and went into a state of panic when he didn’t spot the twins where they had been… Deaton’s body was gone too. “Cora!” The wolf ran up to him, all wide eyes with panic. “The twins, they were just here…” 

Cora’s eyes widened, “What?! How did they get out of their room?!” She ran up the stairs, not waiting for an answer. When she reached their room, John lay there, unconscious, she could smell mistletoe in the air… Deaton. Running to the window, she scouted the area below, sporting Deaton’s dark figure as he disappeared through the tree-line. 

“Goddamnit!” She ran for the door. “Argent!” She called but when she got downstairs, the hunter was passed out on the floor. The wolf considered just leaving him there but the man _did_ help them so… “Damnit…” She mumbled, running over to check his pulse and his breathing. 

His breathing was labored but his pulse was strong, so she deduced it was exhaustion and pain. Turning him on his side so his tongue wouldn’t suffocate him, she ran out the door. If she ran fast enough, she could catch him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew... what a fight! Badass Cora working with Chris Argent? Yes please. I liked Chris! I thought he was cool, his daughter just annoys the crap outta me and I hated his wife... Sometimes I think he did too... We **all** did. 
> 
> I'm no expert in writing fighting scenes but I mean to get better at it with time so I hope you enjoyed this because there will be more. Sorry for mistakes, I notice some of them myself so I know it's possible I missed some XD
> 
> See you in the next chapter!  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **I will be a savior!**   
>  **Biding through the flames!**   
>  **And I will be a savior!**   
>  **Fighting through the flame!**   
>  **When the walls come falling down…**
> 
> **_“Walls” — Jamie N. Commons_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ HERE!:: So, the song is from the movie _Skyscraper_... awesome movie. But yeah, I use my favorite (mostly sad) songs as summaries from here on out... Some will be Jpop (Japanese pop) songs... you should check them out. I will of course include translations so they make sense, but I feel you will only be able to understand the true emotions in them (linked to the chapters) if you actually listen to them. You can find all of them on YouTube... I don't know about _Spotify_ or anything, I don't use music apps like that. 
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!  
> Onward!

**Beacon Hills  
Beacon Park (outside Peter's apartment a.k.a _The Triskelion_ )**

It didn’t take long to track the Druid turned Darach down, he was just at the edge of the park when she finally caught up to them. Deaton being primarily human in every aspect except dark magic did not move fast… Unlike Cora herself. Now, finding Deaton would have been a nice accomplishment if… he wasn’t waiting for her. 

There he stood facing her in the middle of a small opening in the park. Cora paused a safe distance away, eyes drawn to the two—very unconscious— small figures under his arms. He held them like one held a dog. 

“Well, it definitely wasn’t hard for you to catch up.” 

Cora growled at him and sprang forward; she was going to tear him to pieces and then tear those pieces to pieces and so on and so forth… Except she wasn’t… Because he had a circle of mountain ash around him. “Argh! You fucking asshole!” She screeched in frustration. “Deaton… I swear to whatever Satan you believe in, if you did _anything_ harmful to them, I will rip your—” 

“You know, Cora,” Deaton drawled, “Making large threats when you’re outmatched and outnumbered is not a very smart thing to do.” Cora was just about to ask about the ‘outnumbered’ bit when three… four… _five_ ‘people’—three woman, two men— with weird green eyes appeared from behind the surrounding trees. 

Cora’s fear finally started to set in, whatever these people were, they were definitely different from the witches and darachs she fought earlier. Still, she had to try something… anything at all. “Deaton… You don’t have to do this, why—” 

“Peter never told you, did he?” Deaton asked suddenly. Cora frowned, giving Deaton his answer. “Alright, I will. The night your family died… I knew. I knew and I stood back and did nothing, in fact, I gave Kate the idea to use Derek because let’s admit it here, your brother is a bag of hammers.” Cora’s eyes watered, but she bit her lip and kept silent. The Darach continued, “Fast forward a few years and I awoke the Kanima, assisted Jennifer with her sacrifices, told Gerard Argent how to control it, did many other things and ultimately… I gave Stiles his spark back.” 

“What?” 

Deaton laughed, “What? I’m sure you heard that he got his special abilities after he came into contact with the Nemeton or more accurately after he hosted the Nogitsune. Who do you think got him there in the first place? Stiles didn’t even know the Nemeton existed and quite honestly, locating his father—Scott and Allison included—did not require the Nemeton as I already knew where they were.” 

Cora took a menacing step forward, her Beta face slipping out, “Not only are you the reason my family died, you’re the reason Stiles was possessed?” She growled. 

“A necessary evil. All for the greater good.” The Darach drawled calmly. “So, you see, everything that has happened to this town up to thus far, I’ve had my hand in like a clever puppeteer. I influenced all events. But my greatest accomplishment has to be Stiles. Sixteen years I’d been watching him and quite honestly, I was almost convinced I had the wrong boy… Until _your_ uncle bit Scott and that’s when Stiles’ potential shone through. Everything I threw at him, he hit with a bat—quite literally—and he came out on top. Something even the wolves weren’t capable of,” 

Deaton smirked, proud of himself, “Of course, credit goes to Sebastian as he was the one who knew who he was from the very beginning… Stiles is needed in the new world… In fact, he is the main factor. I would say in time you will come to understand but… I’m sure Sebastian will forgive one casualty… Make quick work of her.” He ordered the others.

Cora took a few steps back as the weird people started approaching. _Okay, Cor, you can do this… it’s just five of them, you can take them._ As she thought this, three of them rushed towards her, the first one reached her and threw a punch, she narrowly missed losing an eye when a kick landed on her broken rib, sending her to the ground. 

She blinked up at the three. The man kneeling beside her, hand on her throat— while the two women still standing, each with a foot on her arms— removed a dagger from his coat. Cora sent a prayer out, she hoped that Peter and Stiles would forgive her but she couldn’t anymore…

Her shoulder still hurt like hell, her broken fractured ribs now broken after that kick and she could taste blood, breathing was a hassle. She decided then though, that she would meet death head on, if these assholes wanted to kill her, they would have her face etched in their memories for life. So, she glared up at them. “Look at me, asshole, because you will remember my face in your last moments.”

The man simply smirked and spun the dagger in his hand. “You’re certainly the prettiest lady I’ve ever had to kill so yes, I will remember yo—” 

Cora’s eyes widened… A black shuriken was stuck in the middle of the man’s forehead. He sat frozen above her, wide eyes and mouth agape almost as if he couldn’t believe he had a sharp object through his skull. Cora blinked as in the next moment, the man exploded into black smoke in the next moment. 

Everyone paused, the women’s heads shifting this way and that—even as they didn’t step off her legs—in caution. They too not knowing what or who just killed their comrade. Cora’s ears twitched, she heard faint footsteps…

“Ah!” The women above her screamed as a black blur ran through and sliced through them. The only way Cora knew it was a blade was the way it caught the light and the sound of it slashing through the air. The next moment was pressure released of her arms as the air turned dark with the remains of the wraiths. 

Cora sat up just in time to see Deaton’s back to her… but he was backing up towards her… away from… an Asian woman… Taking closer inspection to her surroundings, the wolf sported about six other figures, also dressed in black but they seemed more like… Ninjas? Their clothes were tight, faces hidden—lower faces— and hairs in ponytails all… Ninja-like. 

Deaton stammered and glared at the woman advancing towards him—Cora knew it was a woman because of her hair and body shape— and a tree came flying towards her. She rolled on the floor quickly and with speed that Deaton did not anticipate, rushed forward and thrust her katana in his abdomen. 

Two ‘ninjas’ rushed forward silently and took the twins from his limping arms, just before he went completely limp and dropped them. Deaton gasped and gurgled; the blade had gone through his major artery. His body locked; he was going to die. He let out a humorless laugh and fell to his knees when the katana was twisted. Raising his eyes, he met the ones before his… “Should have known _you_ would appear.” 

The woman said nothing, merely glared down at him. She tightened her grip on the blade and slowly pulled the blade out ever so slowly so as to torture the Darach. She then poised it high, ready to relieve his shoulders of his head…

“Wait!” Cora cried, calling attention to herself. She stood and limped over to them, careful to move slowly so they would see she is not a threat. “He had a part in my family’s death… And he betrayed everyone...” She wasn’t sure who they were or if they were on her side but something told her that they were… She didn’t feel any malice coming from them and she might just be naïve but since she was still alive, she doubted that they wanted her. “I wanna do it…” 

The woman’s eyes watched her with intensity. They narrowed then, something that Cora could only explain as recognition passed through her eyes. She gave a single nod, grabbed Deaton roughly by his clothes and turned him towards Cora. The wolf wasted no time, she approached and stood in front of Deaton, shaking her head at him. “I hope it was worth it. All that darkness, all that evil you committed. And as you lie here dying, I want you to know that my family and the families of everybody whose life you’ve screwed over, will forever be remembered…” She leaned closer to sneer, “But _nobody_ will remember _you._ ”

With that, she slashed Deaton’s throat with her claws. Deep enough to ensure that he dies but messy enough to ensure he suffered first, then she stood there, looking down at him as he gurgled and tried to gasp for life, he would never get back… Until he finally went silent. She blinked when a blade sliced over his neck, separating his head from his shoulders. He burst into flames then and turned to ash. 

Cora’s wide eyes looked up then, just in time to notice the woman lowering her mask… which Cora just noticed was attached to her black shirt… like a turtle neck of sorts. Once the woman’s face was revealed, Cora blinked stared, not knowing what to say… so the woman spoke first. 

“Cora Hale, I believe? Apologies for being late, we had weapons to acquire.” She gestured to her blade, only then did Cora notice that it had two tones, black on the sharp side, silver on the blunt. But she wasn’t thinking about that. 

“I… Uh… Yeah… How did you…?” Cora knew she was stuttering but she couldn’t help it. Her mind hadn’t quite adjusted to the events of the past ten minutes or so.

The woman smiled warmly and walked over to the two who held the twins, they too were uncovered, both women, younger than their leader and identical, except for their hairstyles… one had wispy fringe bangs, the other middle part side bangs framing her face. Cora watched and remained silent as the older woman smiled down at the kids. 

She ordered something to the rest of the surrounding company in a language Cora recognized as Japanese, they all nodded and ran off, leaving the four of them—plus the Petra and Claudie— alone. Then she asked the older twins something, they answered to her satisfaction apparently because she nodded in approval and smiled down at the kids.

Cora’s frowned, she felt like she should know who this woman is. Her eyes traveled to the girl in the woman’s arms and she went on alert, barely stopping herself from rushing forward. It wouldn’t do her any good to get attacked for being rash. She still had no idea who these people were, as long as they didn’t hurt the twins… Which they weren’t. “Are they okay? Did Deaton—” 

The woman shook her head “They are perfectly fine. He used a simple sleeper, probably Melatonin. His objective was clearly to secure them without harm.” Cora nodded, sighing in relief.

The woman turned back to Cora, smile still in place, “To answer your first question, you have your mother’s likeness… And I know there is only one female Hale left, sadly. Also, I know your uncle. Not _personally_ but… I know him.” Cora nodded, made absolute sense, Peter knew a lot of people and a lot of people know about what happened to her family. 

She paused suddenly, realizing what the woman said before mentioning Peter. “You… You knew my mother?” 

The woman nodded “Very briefly.” She said nothing more on the matter. “Talia was incredibly family oriented and she took pride in her children… You were her youngest at the time and her most prized possession…” The woman sized her up, “I believe she would be extremely proud of the woman you’ve become, if it is my place to say so at all.” 

The wolf nearly choked. She doesn’t remember much of her mother as she was still very young when they all died but… Before the massacre, Talia wasn’t so close to her. She was distant and Cora found herself more at Peter’s side than anyone else. That’s why she and Peter rekindled their pack bonds so easily, apart from blood, they were the only two that actually understood each other in their large pack. 

For this woman to claim that Talia would be proud of her is a foreign feeling… They lost their father when she was six so his memory is even emptier than that of Talia’s… Cora thought that the only person who reserved the right to be proud of her was Peter… He was the one who practically raised her and… He was the one that got her out that night. 

But of course, she would not tell that to this woman, who obviously knew the Talia that was there before their father’s death, because it was after the event that Talia changed. No, instead, she was curious about who she was, she still hadn’t gotten a name and apparently this woman knew more about Cora than Cora did herself. She wondered if Peter was the one who called her here… 

Before she could ask further, though, the woman walked over to her and gently transferred Petra into her arms. Then she took a step back to meet her gaze. “There will be no danger coming for you from now on, you are safe here. My shinobi and kunoichi are spread across the area, they will eliminate any and all danger that approaches before it get close enough to even sniff you. Return to the apartment, Emiko and Fumiko,” She nodded to the twin girls, “Will stay close, should you need anything… they will assist.”

With that said, she ran off to the direction that Deaton was heading to… Cora assumed she was going off to join the main battle. As she watched her go, she saw multiple Ninjas jumping from the trees, following behind her without a word.

“Who is she?” Cora murmured aloud, looking down at Petra’s peaceful face. Really, she was just asking herself but the two next to her heard, the one with the bangs—Fumiko—was the one to respond. 

“ _That_ is Lady Noshiko Yukimura,” Cora turned to her with a raised brow, she was the one who was holding Petra, her sister still held Claudie, seemingly engrossed in the toddler. Cora frowned; she definitely recognized the woman’s name but she can’t remember where she’d heard it before. When the girl didn’t say anymore Cora raised a brow and adjusted Petra to rest her head against her chest. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, was that name supposed to ring something in me?” She started on the track back to the apartment, the others following closely. 

Fumiko tilted her head in wonder and a bit of irritation, how could the wolf not know Noshiko? Or maybe she only knew of _what_ she is… Usually that’s all people knew of Lady Noshiko, she wouldn’t be surprised if Cora was the same. But if she didn’t know Noshiko, she most likely did not know what a Kitsune was…

“Are you familiar with Kitsunes?” Emiko asked, Cora noted how her accent was deeper than her sister’s, Fumiko’s was a lot more subtle… She found herself intrigued with each word. 

“Spirit foxes? Yes…” Cora wondered if she should reveal this last part but considering who these people were, “My uncle recently told us a little story about them… or rather where they really come from and, I know a girl by the name of…” _What was it Lydia called her?_ It definitely rhymed with her own name… “Erm… Kyra—”

“Kira.” The twins chorused. 

“Right. She’s a friend of a… an _acquaintance_ and I was told she was one too.” 

Emiko nodded and adjusted Claudie to hold him the same way Cora held Petra. “Kira Yukimura, she’s Lady Noshiko’s daughter.” 

Cora nodded, “So, she’s the mother of a Kitsune…” She still didn’t get how that made her so important in just being, but she would have understood had they made this fuss about Kira, seeing as she was the supernatural one. 

“No, no, no,no,” Fumiko shook her head, resisting the incredible urge to smack her forehead. “Lady Noshiko is far more than that. Before Kira, there was her… She’s the first ever recorded Kitsune in history.” 

Cora frowned; didn’t Peter say there was an entire kingdom of Kitsunes in Wonderland or Oz or whatever it was he called it? Argh, at this point, who cares?! Then something clicked, Fumiko just said the first recorded in history… Peter said Kitsunes have been around for more than a millennium.

“So… What you’re telling me is that Kitsune’s didn’t exist until like forty years ago?” Cora scoffed, “Peter would disagree and he’s like a walking Beastiary… only better.”

The twins shared a look and frowned. “Beastiary?” They asked. 

Cora shook her head, “It’s like an encyclopedia for hunters about the supernatural.” 

Emiko gasped “Hunters have that? Why?” 

Cora was pleased they at least knew what an encyclopedia is. But then her mind strayed to Chris… she hoped he wasn’t dead but she wouldn’t be heartbroken if he was. What? They weren’t exactly friends, “Why else? Better to know the monsters you prey and their weaknesses.” 

“And your uncle… Is one of these… Hunters?” Fumiko asked incredulously. 

Cora paused and turned to face them “What—No! My uncle is a born wolf… just like me.”

Fumiko nodded, “Okay… And you say he knows a lot about this… beast encyclopedia?”

Cora felt frustrated that they weren’t going anywhere, they were supposed to be explaining who Noshiko was and how she was the first Kitsune. “Yeah. Look, long story short, Peter is very knowledgeable and intuitive about our world… If you have questions, he can and most likely will answer. But we’re not talking about him, we’re talking about your… _‘Lady Noshiko.’_ How is she the first Kitsune? She’s no more than forty or so and as I said, my uncle knows a lot and he said—” 

She paused and scowled when the two started sharing a musical laugh… Even in her anger though, she noticed the differences in their smiles, they did not have the same smile and Fumiko’s was brighter somehow… a little sweeter. It was appealing to watch and Cora doubted she’d ever get tired of it if she had to see it every day. 

They stopped after a while, Emiko still chuckling and giggling, Fumiko regained her composure enough to offer Cora an explanation. Now, the wolf would agree to herself that she’s heard it all and with current events serving as evidence, she can’t really say anything is far-fetched. However, this one left her wondering if maybe she was in a coma and this was just some delusional, very elaborate messed up second world. 

“Lady Noshiko is over _900_ years old.” 

Yeah… Cora was sure it was all coma induced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes... If it wasn't obvious, I also did not like Deaton... he was dodgy af, he gave me major creeper vibes. Which is sad because he was one of the very few colored characters on TW and he irritated my soul tbh... the shame! But yeah, I'm mad at him so I ain't turning him into a hero, he annoyed me.
> 
> And yes, I know, having Peter call his hotels "The Triskelion" is probably unoriginal but I think it's _iconic._
> 
> Alright, see you in the next one. Again, sorry for any mistakes I missed.  
> TTFN  
> \--Nixie.


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **I don’t say a word,**   
>  **But still you take my breath and steal the things I know…**   
>  **There you go, saving me… From out of the cold.**   
>  **You are perfection, my only direction…**   
>  **It’s fire on fire.**
> 
> **_“Fire on fire” — Sam Smith_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, this one is from another movie, one I haven't watched. I don't even know how I stumbled on it... YT recommendations most likely.
> 
> We move back to the main battle in this chapter.  
> Enjoy.  
> Onward.

**Beacon Hills  
The Preserve**

Sebastian clasped his hands behind his back and took a deep breath. Nobody moved, everybody had their eyes on him. He started pacing back and forth next to Stiles’ crumbled form on the ground. There was nothing more satisfying than the stench of fear in the air and the quiet sobs of despair. His eyes scanned the field, his wraiths had awakened… How foolish the wolves and hunters were to think they could kill creatures beyond this simple world. 

They had nothing else to do now, of course, because all the annoying foxes were gone. Sebastian’s lisp curled into a pleased smirk as he thought back to moments before… 

*~~~~~~* 

_Inari’s fox swiped at Sebastian, finally catching him in the chest. Jumping high, the Fox King brought both his blades down but they embedded themselves into the ground as Sebastian, yet again, turned into smoke. The Wraith king would have killed Inari long ago had the man had a shadow but… Being a pure spirit, he did not. He already had several gashes from the Kitsune’s claws… his patience was running thin. He had to end this quickly… No use dragging this out if he was going to die._

_“How long will you keep running, coward?!” Inari screamed in frustration._

_Sebastian’s bright eyes became visible, even as the rest of him remained a dark waterfall of black smoke. “Is that what you think I’m doing? Running?” Inari did not answer, instead he glared at the man. Sebastian’s chuckle sent a cold shiver down his spine, “No… I was just bidding my time.”_

_Before Inari could question what that meant, four Vortexes opened, revealing four witches around him. He was surrounded by chanting being and he realized… they weren’t witches, they were Dark Sparks. He tried running at one of them to break the circle, but he was met with an invisible barrier before he could reach them. Inari felt his body lock up; his feet glued to the ground… He could not move. The Witches… They were solidifying him… giving him a shadow._

_Once finished, the Sparks slunk back into their holes._

_Sebastian smirked, his right eye taking a green glow—much like uranium—pupils and irises disappearing as his sclera also took the green glow, green cracks running up his temple. “This will hurt more than a blade, I’m sure.” With that, he rushed at Inari._

_The Fox King slashed at him but the blade went through Sebastian. The Wraith bled into him with the next breath he took and he could do nothing to expel the new intrusion. His feet left the ground as both he and his fox clawed at their necks and chests. Sebastian expanded within him, suffocating him. Inari’s chest burned with the need to intake air… Those Sparks gave him a human body… He would die again…_

_I have failed you again, my love. Forgive me. Inari thought to Aurelia, hoping his prayer would reach her. Then he closed his eyes and welcomed death._

_His body’s glow became brighter as he spasmed, his Kitsune letting out loud howl as they both burst into nothingness, leaving behind a very satisfied Sebastian who now set his eyes on one naughty little Spark._

*~~~~~~* 

It was quick and clean, but the Kitsune King suffered and that gave Sebastian more joy than anything. After he went, his little army followed as their anchor —Void or Stiles, whoever one— died. He glanced down at the person in question, it really brought him no joy seeing him like that but he had tried the novelty approach and betrayal was his thanks. The Spark had to be taught a lesson… along with the rest of them. 

“He’s gone…” Sebastian’s ears picked up the whispered sob of the Banshee, “It’s over… He’s _gone._ ” She sobbed, fingers digging into the ground below her. 

Derek was also frozen… Not only had he lost his mate… But he’s now also lost the man he considered a brother. He’s failed them… _all_ of them. He’s failed Petra and Claudie. Why? Why couldn’t he be the one to go? Why does he always get to live when others around him died?

Sebastian smirked and stopped his pacing behind Stiles’ body, bored eyes staring at Lydia. “Yes, I suppose he is, isn’t he?... To you anyway.”

Collective gasps echoed through the field as Stiles suddenly rose to his feet in front of Sebastian, who had a satisfied smirk on his face. From his cold black voids, two bright purple/pink irises shone in the center. His eyes were looking forward, face grey as a corpse and completely devoid of emotion. He was looking at absolutely nothing at all, and yet his eyes were extremely piercing. 

Lydia forgot how to breathe for a moment as she stared at this empty shell… This was not Stiles… This was _not_ Stiles at all. 

She could feel nothing but death in this empty vessel and it suffocated her. Stiles was gone and Sebastian defiled his body… Whatever he did to him, he was nothing more than a puppet. The black web cracks on his face now spread down to his neck, disappearing under the bright red cloak. Chapped lips that looked second away from crumbling. 

Derek’s eyes found Lydia’s, but the Banshee was staring at the pair and he knew… Stiles wasn’t in there. He’d felt the pack bonds break and he knew he would never be able to get it back. But whatever this creature was, it had Stiles’ power and it was under Sebastian’s control… They had lost… again. 

The wraiths surrounded them and no matter what they did, the damn things just did not die. They couldn’t and wouldn’t make it out alive if they kept fighting. He was smart enough to know when to accept defeat and this right here… this was it. They were done.

Even mouthy Allison remained quiet, not quite sure what was going on as she watched from behind Lydia. Scott was hit with grief. He was still human after all and the memory of his friend was tarnished and broken and now destroyed right before his eyes. He remembers the happy Stiles, the bright kid whom was too smart for his own good. 

Seeing him like this filled Scott with so many regrets… He could have and _should have_ been a better friend. All this because Stiles was trying to protect this town and by extension him, and this was the thanks he was getting… If there was a hell, they all had reservations. 

Sebastian smirked and placed a hand on… the ‘body’s’ shoulder. “The vial, if you will, darling.” The would-be Stiles retrieved a vial filled with the orange substance that looked like fire and tossed it down his throat, his irises taking on the color. 

Sebastian smirked and took a step back, regarding the rest of them. “Now then, a pleasure knowing you all, but… I’m afraid as my original wish had been to earn your allegiance, you are all far too much trouble than you are worth.” 

Lydia found her voice then, “I will not give you my scream.” She knew that’s all he needed. She let out an angry sob, “I will die before I let you have it!” 

Sebastian barely regarded her, “No matter, I’m sure there’s another banshee we can find. This world is full of surprises. A little echo of Pandora’s Box it is.” His eyes met hers, “So, I suppose your wish, is my command then?” Lydia’s eyes widened to Sebastian’s satisfaction. He would enjoy their dying faces for all the trouble they’ve stirred up.

“Darling?” 

Zombie Stiles took a few steps forward and stopped. Then he raised his arms and let into the real-world creatures they all hoped to never see again.

“The Oni…” Scott choked out, his heart beating furiously at the memory of the hell these creatures caused the last time they were here. He unconsciously gravitated towards Allison, whom had frozen over with shook at the face of her attempted murderers. 

Sebastian kept his eyes on Lydia “Since she’s so keen to meet her old friend ‘Death’… start with the Banshee.” 

An Oni flashed forward faster than any of the wolves —or even the Wraiths for all that matter. Even Sebastian was surprised at the speed— could react… and it was headed straight for Lydia. The Banshee stood and braced himself for whatever came…  
There was nothing she could do now. Her power was drained from ferrying the Kitsunes to this world and she knew that no matter how hard or loud she called out to her… Stiles would not hear. 

The strawberry blonde closed her eyes. _Sorry, Stiles. Looks like we’re all coming your way._ She prayed.  
A frown appeared on her face when nothing happened. She knew she should have felt something, _anything_ before this emptiness. Her attention was drawn to the fact that she was in fact not dead when she heard gasps. Opening her eyes, they widened at the sight. 

The Oni was frozen an arm’s length away from her, stance frozen in attack. She gasped and took a step back, looking over the Oni’s shoulder only for her jaw to drop… 

It was Peter. His back was to her, but that is not what almost made her choke… No, it was the fact that he didn’t stand alone… He held ‘Stiles’ in his arms right in the middle of the field. 

“That’s enough, sweetheart.” She heard Peter mumble in the quieted clearing. Before tilting _Stiles’_ head up and touching their lips together. 

A moment later… Everything happened too fast for Lydia’s brain to follow. 

*~***~*

Peter’s eyes snapped open and he barely felt himself move and he had him in his arms. He took a single moment to observe this shell that used to house his most precious person. 

_What have they done to you, little Spark?_ He wanted to ask, but he knew this shell would not have an answer and he would attack in a moment. So, he set out to complete his mission. 

“That’s enough, sweetheart.” He offered instead, then touched their lips together. He could still smell him in there, as his departure was very recent. It tore him into a million and one pieces… But he still had time… He couldn’t be too late. 

A moment later, he felt ‘Stiles’’ hands close around his wrists and they both drifted…

**~~***~~**

Peter opened his eyes, he was sitting on a lounge chair at a beach, facing said beach. Dressed in a light white shirt and dark pants, no shoes. His face was caressed by the cool wind, neither hot, nor cold, just the perfect breeze. 

He felt her presence before she appeared. Her flapping white dress followed from his periphery, “You did well. Most have failed in this task… You must love him very much.” The brunette observed. Her voice echoing through the space. 

Peter nodded then frowned, “Why me?” 

“The Banshee was not strong enough to carry me forward with all the cargo she held.” The woman chuckled, “But even then, I must admit she would not have been able to free me from my prison.” 

“One you placed yourself in.”

“A necessary sacrifice to save precious lives.” 

Peter threw his legs over the side of the lounge chair to face her. “Lydia should have been the only one capable to carry other spirits forward… especially yours.” Her eyes narrowed at her, “What aren’t you telling me?” 

The woman smiled, eyes meeting his. Her eyes were intimidating, he almost looked away but he held his ground. “You have remarkable children; did you know that? They are simply precious.”

Peter frowned, “What do they have to do with any of this?” 

The woman smiled and nodded to the waters. Peter followed her gaze and the memory flashed back to him.

*~~~~~~*

_“Can I get a hug?” He asked. The twins nodded and threw their arms around him, Peter felt lightheaded for a moment but he supposed it was all the emotions. Holding his children close, he kissed each of their heads, taking in their ozone tinged scents and sighing in content. They smelled so much like Stiles it made his head spin. Laying one last kiss on each again, he stepped back and stood. Sighing again, he ran his hands through their different colored hairs and peeled himself away from them._

*~~~~~~*

But from this perspective, Peter was shown the bright purple-pink glow of their eyes when they hugged him, their bracelets glowing and dimming before he released them… That’s why he smelled more ozone than usual… they did something to him. Not only that, but he noticed the runes on his ring glow as well. The image dissipated and he blinked, touching the ring hanging on his chest. 

“They shared with you their spark. Theirs combined with that of you mate’s,” The woman pointed to the ring, “That is why you were the perfect vessel to carry me.” She squinted at the blue waters, “I would have wagered that they knew… But I think they simply wished to protect you.” She turned her eyes to him. “I felt your spark when you anchored the Banshee and I knew the time had come.” 

Peter’s eyes widened, “Impossible. The bracelets—” 

“Merely _cloaked_ their sparks, did not bind it. They could still use it at will.” The woman breathed in deeply and sighed. “He is truly the most amazing creature I have ever met… More powerful even than me and well…” She let out a laugh, “Considering who I am, it’s quite an impressive feat.” She tilted her head back, gazing at the lone beach house that stood behind them, “Would you like to see him?” 

Peter jumped to his feet and looked turned to the house, “He’s here?” 

The woman smiled. “I’ll give you two a moment. Just a _moment._ ” With that, she walked off, keeping to the edge of the beach. Peter took a step towards the house before turning to the retreating back of the woman. 

“Aurelia…” 

The Grand Spark turned to face him; brow raised. 

“Thank you…” Peter thought he saw something akin to sadness pass through her features but he could have imagined it because she smiled warmly and nodded, before turning back to her path. 

“Do not keep him waiting, Peter Hale… He’s waited long enough.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... the next chapter will be... _deep._ Again, please check out the songs I use in the summaries. Hmm... or maybe don't, they will only increase the intensity of the emotions... but why not, right? 
> 
> Last chapter for now. I'll be posting again tonight.  
> Thank you so much for reading, sorry for mistakes and I'll see you later.  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Look at all this heartbreak, what is left?**   
>  **Forgetting how it started, this is how it ends…**   
>  **I know I’ve done some wrong; I’ll pay for it…**   
>  **But it’s your turn to talk, for once I’m listening…**
> 
> **_“Unknown” — Jacob Banks_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bring your tissue boxes... Or just one tissue.  
> We finally have a conversation with between Steter... Uninterrupted this whole chapter.
> 
> Enjoy...  
> Onward.

**The Interspace**

*~~~~~~*

**_*Previously*_ **

_“Do not keep him waiting, Peter Hale… He’s waited long enough.”_

*~~~~~~*

Peter opened the front door to the house and allowed his Spark’s presence to guide him to the owner. He came across a room… no… a _nursery._ The white drapes were flapping in the wind by the open windows and the light that shone into the room simply made his Spark look absolutely angelic. There he sat on the rocking chair, two very tiny beings in his arms as he sang quietly. 

Peter smiled and leaned on the door frame, taking in the perfect sight. He recognized the song as his own favorite. The babies cooed up at Stiles, Peter couldn’t take his eyes of the brilliantly beautiful smile that slipped on the Spark’s face. He was absolutely glowing. 

“You’re so beautiful.” Peter breathed out. 

Stiles’ head snapped up, wide whiskey eyes blinking at him, his mouth agape in shock. “Peter?” He made to stand but Peter crossed the room quickly and knelt before the only three people in the universe he would ever willingly kneel for. He placed each of his hands on his children’s heads. It was Petra and Claudie, no more than a few days after they were born. Peter smiled, they looked as perfect as they do now. Then he let his eyes travel up to their ‘bearer’.

“Hello, sweetheart.” 

Stiles choked out a sob, “Don’t ‘hello, sweetheart’ me you _asshole,_ how—” His voice cracked, thick, fat and hot tears running down his cheeks. “How are you here? You… Peter, you _died._ ” 

Peter’s guilt came back tenfold. “I’m sorry, darling but… no, I didn’t.” Stiles’ eyes reflected the sheer pain he felt. “I was very close to it but…” Peter laughed, “Well, if you could believe it, Cora whisked me away.” 

Stiles let out another heart-breaking sob, his entire body wracking with the force of it. “Why would she do that? And why didn’t you come back, or at least _call_ to tell me you were alive?”

Peter stood and took the twins when they started whimpering, placing them in their twin crib and placing their pacifiers in their mouths, quieting their distress. He then turned to Stiles, his Spark had pulled his legs on top of the chair, his arms wrapped around them, face buried within his arms. Peter didn’t know how to fix this… He didn’t know what the right thing to say was but he knew that the wrong thing would be staying silent. 

He returned to his Sparks’ side, only noticing then that they were dressed the same, only Stiles’ pants were also white. He knelt before him again and grabbed his ankles, his forehead finding purchase on Stiles’ forearms. “I could offer you every explanation in the world but it wouldn’t change the past five years.” 

“ _Try!_ ” Stiles half-yelled, raising his head to stare up at the ceiling. “ _Any_ explanation is better than none! Jesus, lie to me if you have to, Peter, just give me _something!_ ” He sobbed, his vision swimming with tears. 

Peter felt the wetness before he realized, he was crying. He discreetly wiped away at his nose, were the drops had gathered and sniffed lowly, but he did not raise his head to meet Stiles’ eyes. He was too much of a coward to do so. “I wanted to take away from the weight of it all…” The Alpha started lowly, “I hoped it would bring you one step closer to normalcy.” Stiles remained quiet, his eyes still tracing patterns on the ceiling, as if it was the one that held answers. Taking his silence as a positive sign, Peter continued. 

“Since I couldn’t convince you to leave the Hills, I sought to alleviate some of the factors that prevented you from acquiring a normal life. I was part of the problem, sweetheart, so when opportunity presented itself for me to disappear forever and not have you follow… I embraced it.” Peter paused to sniff again, “It was my hope that you would leave Beacon Hills, go to college and—” 

“You’re not my father, Peter, and even if you were the Sheriff, that wasn’t your decision to make.” Stiles’ voice sounded incredibly cold. Peter just thanked whatever gods existed that he hadn’t been pushed away. He was pleased to hear Stiles’ voice was stronger… He would take anger over the pain in Stiles’ voice. His joy was short-lived though, as Stiles’ next word were barely audible with the sobs he let out. “I _mourned_ you! For _years_ I mourned you to date and you were alive all this time, Peter! How could you do that to me?! Breaking up with me would have been a greater mercy than that!” 

Peter shook his head “I’m sorry, darling. I’m _so_ sorry…” 

“Even for a Spark, sorry doesn’t fix anything.” Stiles mumbled, his sobs finally having calmed. 

Peter finally rose his head, tears seconds from spilling, “Then tell me what will… Please, sweetheart.”

Stiles lowered his eyes to meet Peters, his heart breaking at the sight. This was the second time since he’d known Peter that he’s witnessed the tears in his eyes. The first time was when Peter finally opened up about losing his family and being in a coma for six years. He’s never shed a tear since. 

“Don’t do that.” Stiles mumbled, “You’re not allowed to cry, _I’m_ the one who’s hurt here!” He was furious but simply did not have the strength to push Peter away. He simply couldn’t. 

Peter lowered his head again, “Everyday… I thought of you each and every single day for the past five years. Hoping… _Wishing_ you were happy, that you’d moved on. I didn’t think I had caused you so much pain—” 

“ _Don’t._ ” the Spark bit out. “You’re not gonna play victim here—” 

“I only mean to speak truth, Stiles.” Peter sighed. “I hoped death was a better mercy because I didn’t want you to think there was anything wrong with you, _anything_ at all unworthy. You’re absolutely perfect, darling, how could I tell you I didn’t love you anymore, knowing that it would have been a blatant lie? You know very well I—” 

“Never lie to me.” Stiles finished, finally seeing some semblance of reason. “So, when Cora told the lie for you, you just went along with it. You and your fucking loopholes.” There was zero amusement in his voice. Peter nodded against his arms. “You know Derek mourned you too.” 

Peter nodded again, letting out a sigh, “Isaac informed me.” More like lashed it out at him but… same difference. 

Stiles frowned “You spoke to Isaac?” 

“I spoke to everyone.” 

Stiles eyes widened, he unfolded his arms and grabbed Peter’s head, raising it to meet his gaze, “Define ‘everyone’…” It clicked to Stiles then that Peter hadn’t freak out by the twins… in fact, he seemed familiar with them.

Peter smiled sadly “ _Everyone._ ” He locked Stiles’ gaze, offering him a smile when the Spark’s eyes watered again. Peter took his hands in his and brought them to his lips, laying kisses on his knuckles as Stiles clutched his thumbs for purchase. The Alpha looked at the crib, then back to Stiles, “They are the most beautiful little creature’s I’ve _ever_ laid eyes on, Stiles. And I regret every moment that I’ve missed up to thus far.” 

Stiles let whimpered quietly, “Where are they?”

Peter smiled “Our apartment.” Stiles’ eyes widened, “You didn’t think I would forget, did you?” Peter asked. 

Stiles closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Did they recognize you?” He made sure his children knew who Peter was, it would come as no surprise if they recognized him.

“They called me here.” Stiles’ eyes snapped open at Peter’s words. “I felt them with sudden intensity that compelled me to find them and when I did—” 

“I was gone…” Stiles was no fool, he knew this was just an illusion—especially with Claudie and Petra being that small again— but he could also feel how very real Peter was at that moment. He let out a humorless laugh, “Is that why you’re here? Because you’re helping out over there?” 

“How could I not, darling?” 

The Spark frowned “You’re not dead, are you?” 

The words broke Peter because they brought him back to the state Stiles himself was in. “No, sweetheart. I’m not dead.”  
Stiles sighed and raised their hands, then he lowered his legs from the chair, setting them down on either side of Peter, then he lowered from the chair and straddled Peter’s waist, wrapping his arms around Peter’s shoulders, bringing their chests together, he leeched himself onto the Alpha when Peter’s arms wrapped around him. “I’m still fucking furious with you.” 

Peter simply nodded, burying his nose in Stiles’ hair, taking in the intoxicating scent. “I’ve missed you so much.” He sobbed out, his body shaking with sobs. 

Stiles turned his head to bury his face into the crook of Peter’s neck, he took a deep breath to prevent the sob from escaping but Peter felt the wetness against his neck “I missed you more.” He whispered.

Peter heard the front door open and close but Stiles was the one who broke away first. He stood and pulled Peter up with him. Then he walked to the crib and stared down at his children, hand clasped tightly in Peter’s. The Alpha couldn’t resist wrapping himself around Stiles, his chest against his Spark’s back, lips pressed against his temple. “I never knew.” He mumbled. 

“What?” Stiles asked. 

“That you felt this deeply for me.” Stiles turned his head to look at Peter’s face but the Alpha’s eyes were fixed on the babies.  
Stiles narrowed his eyes at him “You mean that I _loved_ you this much?” He looked away when Peter’s eyes drifted to meet his own, “Hmm… I wish I knew myself. I would have had them sooner.” 

Peter’s eyes widened “You didn’t know.” It wasn’t a question, rather a realization, “This was all subconscious.” 

Stiles smiled “The night you died… I think that’s when it all popped into place.” He mumbled. “I knew then that you were my forever. Even when you weren’t there… I knew there would be nobody else.” He let out a small laugh, “I woke up sick the next day and I just knew what I’d done…” He turned to face Peter again, “I created a piece of you that I could hold on to forever…” He looked back at the crib with an amused smile, their hands were clasped together. “Well… two very inseparable pieces.” 

Peter’s chest tightened, his stomach flipping, bile rising up his throat… He was overcome and he didn’t know how to deal. He never imagined reuniting with his angel would be this emotionally painful. Stiles smiled up at him and wiped his tears away. “That’s a lot of tears you got there, Zombiewolf.” 

Peter let out a chuckle at the nickname. His joy was short-lived, however, as the door opened, Stiles’ attention shifting to it. “I suppose it’s time to go.” He turned to the crib and leaned in, placing a kiss on each of the duo’s foreheads, then turning back to Peter with a smile, “Who would have thought I was some long-lost Prince of Prophecy, huh?” 

Peter smiled “I would have. And much, much more, darling.” He took his hands and placed a kiss on each palm. 

Aurelia appeared at the door then, “It’s time, little one.” She told Stiles, outstretching her hand for him to take.

The Spark nodded and stepped towards her but Peter held on to his hand, tugging him back a little so he would turn to him again. “Come back to me?” 

Stiles’ eyes widened. He turned his gaze to Aurelia, who nodded and lowered her arm, disappearing from sight again, obviously giving them another moment. Stiles did not waste time with words, he strutted over to Peter, slunk his hand to the nape of Peter’s neck, grabbing his hair in that possessive way that haunted Peter’s nights. 

Lowering Peter’s head, he brought their lips together… Peter has never felt more complete than in that moment. Life flooded back into him as he dug his fingers into Stiles waist painfully. 

The Spark let out a moan, one induced by both pleasure and pain, as Peter’s hands tightened and his kiss became more heated with passion, possession and love. He was apologizing, declaring and promising. And Stiles knew only Peter could communicate so vehemently through a simple kiss. 

It felt like forever and a day but they finally broke apart, Peter snaked his arms around Stiles’ waist and pressed their foreheads together, not yet ready to let go. Stiles smiled and savored the feeling of being back in Peter’s arms. He had almost forgotten how absolutely, inexplicably completing it felt to be held by the man. He buried his hands in the silky strands and breathed Peter in… He smelled amazing as ever. 

A moment later he sighed “Will you love them?” 

“I already do. With everything I have to give.” Peter answered instantly, knowing exactly who ‘them’ was. “They are everything I never knew I wanted and all I need.” 

Stiles smiled and nodded, letting his tears fall silently this time. He slid his hands from Peter’s hair to his cheeks, pulling back to look him in the eyes. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” 

Peter nodded and kissed his forehead, “Thank you… For having me in their lives even when I wasn’t there.” It meant more than he could express that Stiles made sure Petra and Claudie knew who their father was. Stiles nodded and kissed Peter’s pulse, then he pulled back completely and walked towards the door. Peter remembered something he’d been meaning to ask. “Sweetheart?” Stiles laid a hand on the door frame and turned to him with a questioning look. “Why did you name her after me?” He probably knew the answer but he wanted to know what ridiculous reason Stiles would come up with.

Stiles grinned, “Isaac and Derek wouldn’t let me go with Batman and Catwoman.” Peter couldn’t hold back the laughter that escaped, Stiles close behind. The Spark sobered after a moment, smiling at his Familiar. “Originally I wanted to go with just plain Peter but… Derek said even for a non-sexist it was too masculine. So… I chose the next best thing.” He shrugged, then tilted his head to see what Peter would say. 

“And Claudius after your mother.” It wasn’t a question a question but Stiles nodded. Peter almost laughed because the Spark could have kept it simple and named Petra Claudia and Claudie Peter but no… that was not Stiles. Peter gave his Spark his rare smile, teeth and all, “Thank you, Mate.” 

Stiles smiled and went off, but Peter didn’t miss his parting words. “You’re welcome, Alpha.”

Peter turned to his children when he heard them babble around their pacifiers. He dipped a hand inside the crib and allowed them to clutch on his fingers. They sucked harder on their pacifiers as their attention was now turned to their father’s hand. 

Peter chuckled “Hello, little ones. Aren’t you two just precious?” His gaze was drawn to the window when he saw movement outside. 

He sported Stiles and Aurelia holding hands, strutting down to the beach. They didn’t stop even as they reached the water, no, they kept going. The further in they walked, the deeper they sank. Peter noticed the shimmering white glow the water took as they sank in. 

They kept walking until only their heads were left visible, then they turned to face the house, or more accurately, Peter.  
Stiles offered him a loving smile and Aurelia one of appreciation. He smiled back at them and nodded, looking down quickly when the twins let out matching squeals, then looking back up to find the two Sparks gone. 

Peter kept his eyes on the waters as the brightness grew brighter and brighter, until everything went white…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost didn't put any of this up because my hand hurts but I really wanna prove to myself that I can make a deadline, I'm quite terrible with that sort of thing and I'm already cutting it kinda close... 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, sorry for mistakes and I will see you in the next one.  
> TTFN  
> \--Nixie.


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Before the flame goes out tonight…**   
>  **Yeah, we’ll live until we die…**   
>  **So come out, come out, come out, won’t you turn my soul,**   
>  **Into a raging fire…**   
>  **Come out, come out, come out, ‘til we lose control,**   
>  **Into a raging fiiiire~!**
> 
> **_“Raging Fire”— Phillip Phillips_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to the battle. I've ranted for 34 chapters now, I don't think I have anything more to say. I hope my visuals are well explained and that there is not confusion on your part.
> 
> That said, I hope you enjoy this chapter, worked really hard on it.  
> Onward.

**Beacon Hills  
Battlefield**

Peter opened his eyes to find the last of the white Spark leave his mouth and disappear into Stiles’. The latter had his eyes closed, breathing in deep to accept his predecessor power. Once the transfer was complete, Stiles opened his eyes. The black sclera remained but his irises now shone a brilliant white. Peter watched in amazement as the black crack veins in his skin too turned white, it was as if his insides were glowing. 

Stiles smiled at Peter, “Thank you, again.” His voice revealed both Stiles and Aurelia in the same body. 

Peter laid a kiss on his forehead and took a step back. “Ready to end this then?” 

The Grand Spark nodded, “Long overdue.” His eyes traveled to Lydia and only when Peter followed the gaze did, he notice that everything around them was frozen. Lydia was the only one not frozen. She was looking around in shock and blinking at them, looking a moment away from passing out. 

“One last push from that one… I need everything she can give to me.” Stiles/Aurelia told Peter.

Peter nodded, “Take all you need. Including mine.” 

The Grand Spark nodded and waved his hand, everything slowly coming back to motion and then catching speed. He raised his hand to halt the Oni, the creature stepped back from Lydia. A single flourish of the wrist and the Oni were sent off. Even as all this happened, Lydia had her wide gaze stuck on the pair. ‘Stiles’ smiled at her. “Stiles…?” She asked with a shaky tone. 

The Grand Spark smile/smirked at her. “Thanks for holding the fort down, Lyds. Knew I could count on you.” Obviously, something only Stiles would say.

Lydia’s hands flew to her mouth, she was in disbelief but wasn’t allowed time to dwell when Peter reached her. “Listen very closely, Lydia, because we need to work fast.” Lydia composed herself quickly. And listened. 

**~~***~~**

Before Sebastian had time to react, everything started happening fast. His Void’s feet left the ground while that annoyance of a wolf strutted back to his group with confidence. Oh… he knew it was Peter Hale. His eyes traveled up to the Spark when he turned towards him. “Hello, Sebastian.”

Sebastian’s eyes widened “No…” That voice, “I killed you... _Both_ of you.”

“Dude, you _really_ need to get over yourself.” Stiles chuckled. “But unfortunately, I do not have the time to allow you to do so.” He threw a white blast at Sebastian which took him by surprise but he smirked when nothing happened. 

The Grand Spark took his attention from the Wraith King and raised his arms, with them the wraith army rose off the ground. Sebastian simply watched, he had wraiths to spare so he simply observed in curiosity as his army was carried off. They all kept rising until they were on the same level as the Spark. There was silent suspense as nothing happened for a moment… 

Then Stiles clenched his hands into fits and one by one, the wraiths combusted into orange flames and exploded a moment later into tiny shards of glass, sprinkling into nothingness. Each let out an ear curling scream, each one louder and more frantic than the last. 

Stiles wasn’t so much killing them as he was _vanquishing_ them. Never to be reborn again. Eliminating the very matter that makes them real… Burning them with the fox fire and wishing them away with the Spark. 

Sebastian’s glared in shock… How was Stiles able to do that to so many of them and not exhaust himself? Even Void could only handle one at a time. He growled and went to dissolve into his smoke form but he found himself unable. 

His eyes widened in realization, _that’s_ what that first blast was for. Growling again, he retrieved the rest of his vials, shooting them down one by one. He let out a shout as his body burned for a moment, dropping to one knee. 

Across the field, Peter walked behind Lydia, “We’re opening the gates again, but this time without the Nemeton. Use me as a key.” 

Lydia shook her head, “I can’t you’re alive and you don’t have that kind of magic.”

“There’s a way around that. I have a spark. Tap into it. The gates are still ajar from the when we opened them, you just need to use your gift to connect the channels.” Peter explained, placing his hand on the back of Lydia’s neck, the Banshee stiffened “Don’t worry, it won’t be like that again. Just open your mind to me and I’ll pull you into mine.” Lydia nodded and closed her eyes. They both gasped as the connection was made almost instantly.  
Erica gaped incredulously “This again?! What the hell?!” 

“Quiet, Erica.” Peter chastised, making her jump, she thought he was under again. Lydia’s breathing became heavy and strained, a trickle of blood appearing by her nostril. “Don’t fight it, Lydia.” The Alpha mumbled. He let out a satisfied hum and nodded when Lydia relaxed, “That’s it. Let it in.” 

Sebastian finally stopped his grunting and raised his head. 

“Oh Shit!” Erica and Hayden cried out, flinching at the sight he made. Both his eyes had taken the green glow as before, but his face was now _ugly…_ It was like their Beta face, but without the sideburns, the fangs looked too many in his mouth and his pupils were red. 

Erica shook her head “Dude, power ain’t worth looking like that. That’s an ugly motherf— Ah!" She cried as she sank into the ground.

“Erica!” Boyd grabbed her and hurled her up quickly, releasing her from the vortex that sought to swallow her.  
Hayden shook her head, her lips pouted in disappointment, “Mhm, see that’s what you get for being mouth-ahhh!” She too cried as a vortex appeared under her, but nobody was quick enough to catch her, she disappeared before they could grab her. 

“Hayden!” They cried.

Stiles’ gaze shifted to them a moment before a white vortex spat her back out. Then his attention turned back to destroying the wraiths… they were many and he had to be concise, otherwise they would survive. 

Sebastian growled and opened a large void that swallowed everybody up. They all let out their respective sounds of disapproval, except of course, Lydia and Peter as the pair was none the wiser to the events of the real world… yet again. 

Stiles frowned and dropped the wraiths, piling them on top of Sebastian, then he lowered himself to land before the Wraith King’s still open Void. Outstretching his arms, he rose them slowly levitating the Beacon Hills group out of the void before it closed. Once they were out, he closed it and enclosed everybody inside a shield. “Make haste Peter.” 

A blast connected his shield, that was intended to hit him from the back and he stumbled. Turning back to Sebastian, he snarled “Hitting me while my back is turned. How very noble.” 

“I’m not known for my niceties.” Sebastian’s barely audible sentence slipped through his many teeth. He raised his hands and smirked when multiple vortexes appeared, including the mirror portal that shattered behind him, opening the door to his waiting army. With the power of every creature he’d captured along with the Blood Moon, he needed only himself to open the portal from this side.

“Kill him.” He ordered and just like that the flood gates were open.

Stiles waved his hands and set the lot of them on fire with the Foxfire, but more kept coming from Sebastian’s open portals. “Let us help!” Erica cried but was completely ignored. The Grand Spark knew Sebastian would target them and he couldn’t babysit while trying to destroy these moronic soldiers. 

His eyes were suddenly drawn to the brainwashed wolves, with a flick of his wrist they were inside the barrier. “Hey! Not cool, they’re with the bad guys now!” Hayden cried but paused when Jackson groaned and rose his confused blue eyes to them. 

“Please tell me I’m drunk.” He had a killer headache. His gaze shifted to Erica and Boyd, “Or high…” 

Erica nodded “Sure, buddy, you’re on Mars right now.” She patted his head, eyes on the fight. Jackson frowned and slapped her hand off. She didn’t react to that, her eyes on Deucalion and Theo. 

She took what she thought was a discreet step towards Deucalion but Boyd pulled her back quickly. The blonde turned to glare at her husband “He’s—” 

“I know, babe, but there’s a time and place, he’s unconscious right now.” 

“Which is the perfect opportunity to slid his fucking throat open, Boyd, let me go!” 

Hayden stepped in, blocking Erica’s view of Deucalion “Hey! Okay look, I know I don’t know you and obviously I have no idea what the history is here but I know you’re better than this. Objectives and priorities, okay? I’m sure you’ll get your revenge… But _he’s_ not the enemy today.”

Erica snarled but calmed. Boy and Hayden were right about two things, one; he wanted to look into the bastard’s unseeing eyes when she kills him and two; the timing was bad to settle personal scores… especially when Deucalion could help them in the current fight.

“Jackson…” Scott called, “Are you… _You?_ ” 

“Who the hell else would I be?” The wolf snapped. Headache killing him.

“Oh, my god, did I do Aconite?” Jackson heard Ethan groan; he immediately went to his boyfriend’s side. 

Ethan blinked up at him, “Jackie?” 

“Shut it!” Jackson snapped when Erica, Hayden and Caroline snorted at the nickname, the others were modest enough to swallow it back. 

“Damnit! Stiles! Let us help! Come on!” Erica punched the barrier wall. 

“Silence Erica.” Peter mumbled again. The blonde pouted but said nothing more. 

**~~***~~**

Stiles finally lowered his arms with a smirk when he felt _them_ approach. The wraiths took this as a weakness and ran at him, they were extremely surprised when an army of fast moving, agile creatures started cutting them down like nothing. The fight carried away from Stiles, giving him time to breathe. 

“Took you long enough.” Stiles commented. 

“You could have sent word sooner.” Noshiko defended with a smirk. It slipped when she saw his eyes and the rest of his features. His skin still incredibly pale, but it had a glow under it. Her lips pursed into a thin line as her brows furrowed in sadness and guilt. She knew exactly what those eyes meant. “So… I suppose this is it then?” She offered a sad smile. 

The Grand Spark smiled, his gaze turning to the battle happening before them. “You’ve trained them well… Inari would be proud. I know _I_ am.” 

The Asian woman heard the other voice in there, the tingling sound of chimes that echoed Stiles’ voice and she knew it was that being that spoke to her. Her chest tightened, “I never apologised for the Nogitsune.” 

“And why would you need to? You did not awaken him.” 

“I created him…” 

“You _summoned_ him.” Stiles eyes traveled to her wide ones. “Like most evil, young Noshiko, he was here before you and he preyed on your vulnerability. You did not create the monster… He merely let you believe you did…” The strange eyes broke away from hers again, “An old enemy of light. That’s what he is. The important thing is that you imprisoned him long enough to protect generations upon generations.” The eyes returned to her, “And that is all you could have done and all I expected of you.” 

Noshiko shook her head, tears filling her eyes, “I protected everyone except my family… All of them.” 

Stiles smiled “We are a family of protectors, Noshiko… If you would have had to protect me, you would have endangered everyone else. You and I both know my destiny is written in stone… And with it my fate.”

The Asian warrior smiled, an amused smile on her face. “Your mother would be proud… _Heartbroken…_ but proud.”  
Stiles dipped his head in thanks and Noshiko knew that’s all she would be getting, so she changed the subject. “Strategy?” Stiles nodded to Lydia and Peter. Noshiko nodded, “I see. Will my assistance be required?” 

“I need everything.” 

“And you shall have it, but until then… I will cut down as many as I can…” Even as she said this, her gaze stayed on him, she didn’t move. Her eyes were now drawn to what Stiles was staring at… “Is that…” Stiles nodded silently. “Do you need my assistance?” The Grand Spark’s face twisted into an amused expression so clear Noshiko though he might actually burst out into a fit of laughter, but it melted away into a blank expression again and that was her answer. She wasn’t needed. But before she left, she had to know… “Was it necessary?” 

Stiles’ eyes moved to pin her and she felt intimidated, especially knowing who the other one in there was. He didn’t need explanation; he knew what she meant. “Isn’t everything I do?” 

Noshiko nodded, “I had to ask… Of course, you understand.” Stiles nodded. 

“Of course… Are they safe?” 

Noshiko’s lips twitched into a smirk, then she covered her face again “Immensely.” In parting, she offered a deep respectful bow. “Your Majesty.” And she was off, joining the fight with practiced ease. 

Sebastian stalked closer now that his target was alone and he had completed his transformation. They stood away from the battle but a safe distance away from each other. Aurelia and Stiles cursed the fact that they couldn’t just kill him if his wraiths kept protecting him but more than that… Sebastian was built different from the rest of them. 

He wasn’t just a wraith… he has Spark heritage and cannot so easily be removed from existence, nor can he be banished anywhere, he could and would easily escape as his father once did before he was destroyed. They had to stall. 

“You are just full of surprises, little Spark.” 

Stiles tilted his head, “How utterly disrespectful… Yet I ask if you expected any less from my descendant?” 

“Aurelia, I’m speaking to Stiles, where are your manners?” Sebastian snarled and clicked his tongue, “And she calls _me_ disrespectful.” 

“What do you hope to achieve here?” 

The Wraith King tilted his head, “At first I was going with a simple escape from your prison but then I thought… why not dominate and absolutely turn upside down the world you fought so hard to protect so many years.” 

“Aww, little old you? Nah, humans wouldn’t like you that ugly… Just look at what’s happening to Trump.” Stiles chuckled at his own joke, knowing only he would get it. “Maybe if you were still handsome.” 

Sebastian rotated his shoulders and neck, his dark features shifting back to his softer features, all but his eyes. “Is this more to your liking, darling?” 

Stiles nodded, “Yep, that’s it… Damnit, should have let him stay ugly. At least then I would have had a problem with killing him.” He mumbled to himself, chastised by Aurelia, to which he just snorted. 

Sebastian’s smirk slipped, “Now are you sure, you can’t reconsider? It would _so_ wound me to kill you.” 

Stiles’ smile slipped “Like you did a few minutes ago?” 

Sebastian went to respond but Stiles had already fired a blast at him, it caught his cloak and kept burning no matter how hard he tried to blow it out. Growling, the Wraith King stripped his cloak quickly and tossed it before the flames licked him. He growled again as his face took its ugly hybrid form again. 

Stiles blinked as Sebastian flashed towards him and grabbed him by the throat, “You may have bound me to this form, but I am still fast!” The Wraith growled.

The Grand Spark barely flinched at the tight grip, instead he brought his own hands up to wrap around his wrist, a sizzling sound and black smoke raising off the contact. Sebastian growled as the skin of Stiles’ neck had the same effect on his palm. He hissed in pain and stepped back. 

Opening a vortex, the same witches that helped him kill Inari rose from them. “Immobilize him!” He hissed, clutching his healing arm. The witches held hands and started muttering a spell fast.

“Silence!” Stiles ordered; Aurelia’s voice more audible than his. The witches froze, eyes wide, staring at Stiles. “Find peace in death.” Stiles whispered. The witches breathed in deep, their eyes dulling to a pale grey as life force left them, then they all dropped to the ground.

Stiles took a deep breath, the spell having taken a lot from him, but before he even let it out, Sebastian was on him again. He tried to escape by taking to the air again but the hybrid grabbed his ankle and hurled him back down, slamming him into the ground. Claws ready, Sebastian swooped down. 

“Stop.” Came Stiles harsh whisper and Sebastian couldn’t disobey the Spark’s order, his claws stopped an inch from Stiles’ face. The Grand Spark gasped in relief before gathering power in his wrists. He leaned up and wrapped his hands around Sebastian’s neck.

The terrifying pain released the Wraith King from his paralysis, he growled and went to pull away, but Stiles followed. Without releasing Sebastian’s neck, he kicked him hard in the knee, when Sebastian knelt, he jumped up and planted his feet firmly on his hips, tightening his knees on either side of his torso and holding firm as he continued burning him. 

Sebastian growled, his brain refusing to work. He scratched at Stiles’ arms, and any part he could reach, but the Spark merely hissed and groaned in pain, refusing to let go. 

Erica and Hayden shared a look, seeing Stiles fry someone with his bare hands. “Did you know he could do that?” The blonde asked.

Hayden shook her head “Hell nah, I knew him less than you did!” 

Erica nodded, her eyes straying to Ethan and Jackson making out “Oh for the— Jesus Christ can’t you stop that until we _aren’t_ in danger?!” She jumped when two wraiths ran up to them but bounced on the barrier. “Damn, you gotta be stupid to run at a wall like that. Are you crazy?” She asked the woman who was now picking herself up. 

“It’s an invisible wall, moron. I’m pretty sure they can see it.” Jackson rolled his eyes. 

Erica met him with a raised brow, “Oh so, you can stop sucking face to tell me off?” Jackson glared at her. 

“You know, I liked you better when you were dead, Reyes.”

“Well, egg on your fucking face, _Jackie,_ ‘cause I was never dead.” She growled back. Scott rolled his eyes at them… It would be a perfect picture of their high school days if Stiles wasn’t currently chocking the living hell out of a wraith… quite literally too. 

Peter’s eyes flew open, “It’s done.” He spoke lowly, releasing his hold on Lydia.

Stiles’ head snapped to them and the back to Sebastian. He straightened his legs to spring off of him and then pushed off to the air, allowing the wraith to crumble on his back, gasping for strength as the many creatures in him worked to heal the wound.

“Brace yourselves, the shield is coming down.” Peter warned his company. 

“Finally! My skin is _itching_ over here!” Erica cheered, allowing her fangs and claws to drop as her beta face came forth. Everybody else followed her lead. 

“Jesus, McCall, you couldn’t even keep your Alpha Spark?” Asked an incredulous Jackson but he was ignored. 

The barrier dropped when Lydia let out a gasp, her eyes flying open, they were a milky white again. She raised her head and looked up at Stiles, this time her feet didn’t leave the ground. Taking a huge breath… She screamed, allowing passage to the many spirits they called forward. 

While everyone else seemed hurt by the pitch, covering their ears and falling to the ground, Stiles spread his arms to welcome the spirits. Sparks and Kitsunes together, they all found housing in him. One, three, eight, twelve… Spark upon fallen Spark, Kitsune upon fallen Kitsune, they all gathered withing the one person who was of both blood… 

The Legacy born from Aurelia and Inari’s love. 

Harsh breath rushed out of Lydia as the final Spirit tore itself from her and took flight to slam into Stiles… She recognized it as Inari. Her legs buckled, compelling her to take a knee. She looked up when a hand laid on her shoulder, it was Peter. “You did good, Lydia.” 

The Banshee would not admit it but it was the first time anyone has ever said that to her who wasn’t Stiles, and it felt good, especially with Peter being her sire. So, she just nodded her thanks and continued catching her breath, her eyes travelling up to Stiles. “I thought he was gone… I… I felt him die.” 

Peter nodded, his gaze also stuck on Stiles, who merely hung in the air as if he was held up with rope around his middle. “For a moment there… I think he was.” 

“Is he really in there?” Lydia still wasn’t sure. She can only feel death, but she can’t feel rebirth or a spirit returning unless she was their necromancer. 

Peter nodded again, this time a small smile playing on his lips “He’s in there… They all are now.” Peter’s smile dropped as he turned to slash a wraith across the throat. Then he turned to Lydia. “I should probably join the fight… You and Alison can stay behind in the meadow. We’ll hold everything down here. You’ve done more than enough.” Lydia nodded and took his offered hand to stand and turned to enter the meadow again. 

“Lydia…” She turned back to Peter to find a small but genuine smile. “Thank you.” While she was shocked at the sheer emotional gratitude expressed in those two words, she nodded again and turned away so Peter wouldn’t see her own smile.

Peter made another glance at Stiles’ form to see him straightening. He nodded to himself and stripped his clothes. Looking up at the crescent eclipse, it would be over soon but he still had a chance to change. He breathed in deep and allowed the transformation to take over. 

The wraiths that ran up to him never stood a chance.

**~~***~~**

Stiles’ breath was ragged by the time the spirits settled in his body. He straightened slowly, his body feeling incredibly loose. He could feel everything and nothing. He could feel every hair on his body, he could taste the air, hear it, feel it, see it… He was everything and nothing… 

_Are you ready?_ Both Aurelia and Inari asked in his head. 

_Yes._

And so, it began…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, sorry for mistakes and I will see you in the next chapter.  
> TTFN  
> \--Nixie.


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Goodbye’s the saddest word I’ll ever hear…**   
>  **Goodbye’s the last time I will hold you near…**   
>  **Someday you’ll say that word and I will cry…**   
>  **It’ll break my heart to hear you say goodbye.**
> 
> **_“Goodbye’s (The Saddest Word)” — Celine Dion._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, so I know I missed yesterday's deadline but, I'm having health complications. It's just one thing after the other and yesterday I just wasn't hot enough to put these chapters up, my apologies. But I'm a bit better today, so, yeah, let's finish this, shall we? 
> 
> As for this chapter... Well... I suppose the summary tells it all. I'd say enjoy but... I'm afraid you might hate me for even suggesting it. So uh... bring a tissue box, I guess?  
> Onward.

**Beacon Hills  
The Preserve (Battlefield)**

*~~~~~~*

**_*Previously*_ **

_Stiles’ breath was ragged by the time the spirits settled in his body. He straightened slowly, his body feeling incredibly loose. He could feel everything and nothing. He could feel every hair on his body, he could taste the air, hear it, feel it, see it… He was everything and nothing…_

Are you ready? _Both Aurelia and Inari asked in his head._

Yes.

_And so, it began…_

*~~~~~~*

Stiles raised his arms high in the air, halting the Earth’s rotation. The birds flying overhead stopped, the trees stopped rusting, insects froze, not a single animal moved, the very wind stilled. 

“Enough.” The many spirits within him ordered, gaining everyone’s attention. But their target was Sebastian’s army. “This battle ends here. You are all relieved of your immortality.” 

With words spoken, so it was done. The wolves and ninjas stepped back and cleared off the field as every single wraith in the Preserve caught fire, all at the same time, not a single one spared. They all screamed and thrashed as the spark enhanced Foxfire ate away at them, the Grand Spark’s magic taking away countless years of life. 

They felt every bit of their life essence as it was burned away… And then… One by one, they combusted into nothingness.  
Stiles threw a blast in the air in front of him and shattered a portal into the space. On the other side waited the last of Sebastian’s army, consisting mostly of dark witches and darachs. He blinked at them and the same process repeated itself. They burned. He clenched his fists and they too combusted. The only person left on the other side was the gatekeeper. The elder man fell to his knees and raised his hands in surrender.

“This gate is never to be opened again, Transporter. You are relieved of your duties.” With that Stiles closed the doorway. Looking down at the clear field, he lowered to the ground, landing without a single sound. 

Spreading his arms out, he released the Kitsunes inside of him, only the Sparks remaining. Inari was the last to leave. He stood before Stiles, his army standing behind him. 

The Kitsune King regarded Stiles with wonder “An honor to meet you, young Mieczyslaw.” He bowed, the army behind him following. 

“The honor is mine, grandfather.” Stiles bowed back. He smiled when Inari’s eyes widened, then he nodded over to Noshiko. “I think she would be very pleased to meet you too before you go.”

Inari nodded and made his way over to his niece. Stiles watched him go and turned to the wolves. 

Peter wasted no time stepping forward, after shifting and putting his clothes back on. He stopped a safe distance away, not knowing if he would be seen as a threat. Stiles looked different again, his cracks were a pale yellow instead of white and so were his irises. He deduced it was probably the Foxfire. So, he stood there, just stared at him. Stiles smiled and walked the rest of the way to him. 

“I thought you said you needed everything?” Peter asked. 

Stiles shook his head and took his hands “I must have underestimated the anger of a thousand fallen Sparks.”

“The Queen?” Peter asked, not hearing her Stiles’ voice. 

The Spark smiled. “She left after the last of the wraiths died.” He turned to look at Inari, he turned to offer him another bow before he and his army dissolved into tiny orange sparks that flew to the skies and to wherever it was the afterlife led them to. They were finally at peace. “I think he’ll see her on the way.” Stiles added. 

“How come _she_ didn’t do that?” Peter nodded to the showy way the Kitsunes went off. 

“Because Sparks are different and… Hers is within me… She forever looks over her children.” 

“Sparks?” Peter asked, tracing a finger under Stiles’ eye. 

The Spark snorted “She calls us ‘Children of the Light’.” 

The Alpha nodded and sighed… It was over. It was all finally but… He frowned, they still one thing to take care of. “Then why are you still like this?” 

The cracks on Stiles face had not went away—they weren’t glowing anymore, now that the Kitsunes were gone too… just there— and his eyes had not changed back to the whiskey doe eyes that Peter so loves. He saw Stiles’ brows do that thing they did when he was about to cry, but before a tear was shed his Sparks eyes widened, pushing Peter back. The Alpha was thrown back several feet. 

The painful gasp Stiles let out was piercingly loud in his ears. And then the piercing screams of Erica calling out to his mate. Everything went extremely slow as Peter stood, his head ringing. He first saw Boyd holding Erica back and Liam holding Hayden back. 

Noshiko stood gaping with her own group of warriors and Peter was curious to know why. His gaze finally traveled to Stiles and his mate had his back to him… But wait… that’s wrong… That black blade sticking out of his back wasn’t supposed to be there. And that’s when he sported the man kneeling before him, holding the intruding weapon. 

The _Wraith King._

Sebastian’s face and eyes were back to normal and he looked incredibly wounded, burns covering most of his skin and missing a right arm… He must have escaped into one of his vortexes before the spell ate all of him. Stiles coughed, a trail of blood running from the corner of his lips, down to his chin. Sebastian used had his father’s blade… 

Peter's claws and fangs made a quick appearance, his eyes flashing red as absolute rage filled his blood. His wolf was seconds from tearing right through his skin and in that moment he had nothing but murder on his mind. He lurched forward, his vision blurry as he saw red, but he was hurled back and held down by both Derek and Boyd. 

“Let go of me!” He struggled with all his might but couldn't get free.

Derek and Boyd did not relent. They were only following orders. _‘Hold him back!’_ Stiles had ordered into their heads. Peter tried to shift into his wolf form but he found himself trapped. Noshiko just stood there… everybody! 

“Release me! Help him! Somebody!” Peter cried. Why were they all just standing there? 

_‘It’s okay, Peter…’_ The Alpha’s eyes widened as his mate’s voice whispered ever so gently in his head. _‘It’s alright, Zombiewolf.’_

“No…” Peter whimpered, “Stiles no…” 

Sebastian twisted the blade in anger “I should have killed you the _second_ I laid eyes on you, _pest!_ ” He spit out, “You will pay for every bit of trouble you’ve caused me, little Spark and then… I will kill your little family too... _Every. Single. One of them._ ” He whispered into Stiles ear. “But first I take the Grand Spark from you.” He placed his hand over Stiles’ abdomen.

Stiles coughed again, eyes lowering as he slumped a bit “You want my spark?” He grabbed Sebastian’s wrist and thrust it deep into his own stomach, using the sharp claws there to break through skin and muscle. And then he held him there, “Then take it…” He growled, the lines on his face shining white again. Then he raised his eyes to meet Sebastian’s… 

“TAKE IT ALL!” 

Sebastian screamed as the heat traveled up from his arm, flowing into his body, burning him from the inside this time. He started panicking, _No! No! It was too much! They were all too much!_ But no matter how hard he tried; he could not tear himself away from Stiles. 

The Spark gathered every spark energy within proximity… Noshiko, Derek, Lydia, Hayden, Erica, Boyd, Jackson, Ethan, Deucalion, Scott, Liam, a thousand Sparks and… Peter. 

They all contributed to the sheer force he was shoving into Sebastian’s core. All their anger, all their grief, all their vengeance… He sent it all to Sebastian. Stiles’ hair turned grey and then white, his skin also taking a white glow. He was absolutely angelic but Peter could not bring himself to enjoy the sight.

“ _STOP!_ ” Sebastian screamed; travelling up his arm, his skin broke into desert cracks to reveal the white fire that burned him from within. Brighter and brighter he turned as his skin cracked more. “ _NOOOO!_ ” He threw his head back and…

**_*Shatter*_ **

He exploded into white tiny sparks that faded into nothingness before Stiles’ eyes. The Spark breathed out, grabbed the blade in his abdomen and pulled it out slowly –not a drop of blood left his body— then he slumped, but before he could touch ground, gentle hands caught him. He didn’t need to open his eyes to know who it was. 

Peter cradled him softly and brushed the hair of his forehead. His skin was still glowing… Why was his skin still glowing?  
“Stiles?” He choked, the betrayers running down his cheeks. He could feel him slipping away. “Sweetheart?” He whispered again. The others were smart enough to stay back.

Stiles opened his eyes and Peter gasped, they were back to whiskey, sclera white again. Stiles smiled up at him. “Hey there, Zombiewolf… Those tears not for me, are they?” 

“Hush… Tell me how to help you.” His hands hovered over Stiles’ stomach, not knowing what to do or make of the white light that came from the two holes. He couldn’t take his pain away because his Wolf Spark was gone… What good was he to Stiles as a human bloody man?!

Stiles stared at him for a moment before answering. “The Nemeton.” 

Peter’s eyes widened “Of course.” He scooped Stiles up, on arm under his legs, the other around his torso. Stiles wrapped his own weak arms around his shoulders to help him with the weight, but he needn’t had to. Peter almost choked at how absolutely weightless Stiles was. It was like carrying Petra or Claudie. 

The Hale wolf quickly made his way to the meadow, ignoring Lydia’s questions as they passed by the group. He moved to the center of the meadow and gently placed Stiles on top of the tree stump. Lydia ran to the other side and took Stiles’ right hand, tears already spilling after Erica and Hayden’s quick summary of what happened. 

“Alright, now what?” Peter asked frantically. “Do you need anything? An anchor? Any plants? What do you _need,_ Stiles?” He knew he was panicking; he couldn’t stop it.

Stiles couldn’t bring himself to tell him that this was all… that there was nothing he could do. So, he just shook his head slowly, to which Peter shook his own head in disbelief, an anguished look overtaking his features. He took a knee beside the stump, clutching Stiles’ left hand in both his, touched it to his forehead and sobbed silently. 

It wasn’t the fact that Stiles couldn’t be saved that tortured him, but that he _knew_ it would end so—God, he just _knew it_ — and no matter how hard he prayed, his prayers went unheard and unanswered.

“Stiles?” Lydia muttered wetly, “How are you feeling?” She berated herself after the words left. He had a gaping hole in his stomach that did not bleed. 

Stiles laughed a little, “Aces, Lyds.” He sobered up and offered her his most grateful look, “Thank you, Lydia… For everything. I don’t think we would have won this without you.” 

Lydia shook her head, she hasn’t really met a challenge that Stiles couldn’t solve but she didn’t think now was the time to point that out, especially considering the Spark’s current predicament… The very first, it seemed, he would not be able to overcome with. “Yeah, sure… Stiles, I’m sorry I—”

“Don’t. Besides Peter, you were the only one who cared enough to notice what I was going through.” His words cut through Stiles, Erica, Boyd and even Derek. “You were my friend when it _mattered,_ Lydia… And you’ve done so much for me since then, there’s absolutely _nothing_ to forgive.” 

Lydia swallowed a sob thickly and nodded. She gathered herself enough to place a kiss on Stiles’ forehead, “You did good by the way… Your kids will leave a trail of broken hearts, just like their fathers.” 

Stiles laughed, “You mean just like _Peter_?” Because where was the string of broken hearts _he_ left behind? Somebody point him in that direction, he just had to see it.

Lydia shook her head with a laugh “Sure, Stiles.” She laid a kiss on his forehead. This geeky boy who had become so important to her, whom had been her friend for longer than she knew it herself. “I love you, Stilinski.” 

Stiles’ tears finally fell. “You couldn’t have said that a decade or so ago?” He joked, even though he knows she meant platonically and he obviously did not feel that way about her anymore but he still loved her as a friend. “Keep an eye on things for me?”

Lydia nodded and smirked, though it came out as more of a grimace, “ _Someone_ has to.” She stood and walked off, Erica and Boyd taking her place and Stiles’ face lit up upon seeing them. 

“Catwoman!” He exclaimed weakly with a grin. 

“Batman!” Erica laughed weakly; she had already been bawling for a while now. “You look terrible, Stilinski.” 

“You’re one to talk.” She was ruffled up from the fight, tears in her clothes, dirt, blood and grime covering her, plus leaves and stuff in her hair. 

Erica pouted “Shut up, I make dirt look good.” 

Stiles laughed “That you do.” His eyes shifted to Boyd, “Hey, big guy.” Boyd nodded, his eyes wet. “Aww, you’re not gonna cry for me, are you?” Stiles teased, receiving a glare to which he laughed off. “I’m glad you’re both alive and okay… Could have called though but… I guess I get why you didn’t.” He coughed again, Peter clutching his hand tighter but he didn’t raise his head. Erica and Boyd hung their heads in shame and guilt. “Hey… It’s okay. I don’t hold any of it against you, you did what was right for you and I’m glad you found something better.” 

Erica laughed “Yeah… Who would have thought it would be with Peter, huh?” 

“I would have.” Stiles gave a slight shrug. Erica nodded. Boyd opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, not sure how to go about saying what he had to say. “Spit it out, Boyd.” Stiles prompted. 

Sighing, Boyd finally spoke. “Thank you… For _that_ night.”

Stiles nodded and laid his hand on Boyd’s arm, “You’re welcome, big guy.” He shifted his eyes between the pair, “Stay outta trouble okay?” 

Erica smirked, “I’m an aunt now,” She declared proudly, “Trouble should fear the very air I breathe.” Stiles laughed lowly, not really finding any humor when thinking of his children. He was leaving them when they needed him most. They were at an age where children start retaining memories and he would not be present in theirs. But the only thing he could hope for them was a happy and long life.

“They’ll always be safe, Stiles. Don’t worry.” Boyd assured. Stiles nodded his thanks and watched as they left. He could tell Erica didn’t want to show him she was crying, so she hurried away from him.

“Derek…” Stiles called. Said man walked over but kept his distance, he was still bitter about Isaac, even as Stiles’ current condition tore yet another whole into him. “I’m so sorry,” Stiles hiccuped, his cold disposition hurt him. “I’m sorry about Isaac. I’m sorry you had to see that.” His words came out more sluggish as his body became brighter. 

Peter looked up then, feeling Stiles slip away, his touch was weakening, it was as if Stiles was disappearing from reality. Becoming the very air itself.

Lydia’s sobs became louder at Isaac’s name, remembering he wasn’t the only one lost in this battle… Kira’s smile flashed behind her closed lid and she choked, trying very hard not to hyperventilate. 

Derek sniffed and wiped a stray tear quickly, leaning down to lay a kiss on Stiles’ forehead. “Shh, it’s okay…” He mumbled against his skin, more tears falling as he barely felt him. He knew he would never be able to forgive himself if he didn’t say it. He already lost Isaac without so much as a goodbye, not Stiles too. “I’ll miss you, Sparky.” 

Stiles grabbed his hand, “Try not to too much, okay? And tell Petra and Claudie that—” 

“Shh, Stiles.” Derek hushed pulling away to look into his eyes, “Everything will be okay. Okay?” Stiles nodded. “Good, I’ll see you on the other side. Say hi to Isaac for me.” Stiles remained quiet, simply giving him another nod. “I love you, little brother.” Derek choked.

Stiles couldn’t bite back the sob that left him, “Love you too, Sourwolf… Thank you for everything.” 

Derek nodded and laid a final kiss on Stiles’ forehead before walking away, he left the meadow completely, knowing he couldn’t take seeing Stiles leave. Once he was outside, he crumbled, Lydia joining him. She laid her head on his shoulder and took his hand, and together they grieved. 

Stiles turned his attention to Peter. “I guess there’s not much more to say, is there?” They had already spoken at the beach house and Stiles didn’t have much time left. His eyes widened, “Oh! Except, I forgive you.” Peter’s eyes widened, making Stiles laugh a bit, “You came back, Peter… And you saved the day like I always knew you were capable of.”  
“I was supposed to save _you_!” Peter growled angrily. 

“You knew.” Stiles stated sadly, “You knew when I didn’t give you an answer… I can’t stay, Peter.” 

“Then I’ll bring you back some—” 

“That’s not how it works, not with me.” Stiles sighed, “You know what’s happening, I know you can feel it.” He clutched Peter’s hand for emphasis but Peter didn’t feel the strength in it… a baby had more strength. “My soul is different from yours; I can’t come back like you did.”

The ‘Alpha’ sobbed, “Then I’ll find another way, Stiles, you can’t leave me. You can’t leave _us,_ you’re not allowed to!” 

“Hypocrite.” The Spark frowned, “I don’t want to leave, Peter, but my time has come and you need to be strong, okay? You need to be strong for your pack and for Petra and Claudie. You can’t break now.” He sighed tiredly… Reality was slipping fast. “Hey… Do me a favor?” Peter looked up with wet eyes, “If Petra and Claudie don’t ask about me… If they forget me… Let them.” 

Peter scowled at him “Absolutely not!” 

“Please, Peter?” Stiles cried, “You know how hard it was for me to lose my Mom, and you also lost your family, I don’t want them to feel the same pain… If they forget me, it would be a welcomed mercy. They need to move on, you all need to.” 

Peter leaned in to press a kiss on his lips, swallowing his next sob. “Never, sweetheart.” He declared after pulling back. “You are forever in here,” He tapped his temple, “And in here.” Then his chest, where his heart lay. “No man, god or demon will tear you away from me… not your memories. And I know our children will cherish your memory as well.” 

Stiles wracked with uncontrollable sobs, gasping and hiccuping so hard that Peter mounted the stump and gathered his light form in his arms. He closed his eyes and buried his nose into Stiles’ hair. “Shh. It’s alright, sweetheart. You’re alright, I’m here, I’ve got you.” He mumbled into his hair.

Stiles gasped suddenly and clutched Peter’s shirt like a lifeline. “I love you, Peter... Forever.”

A little twinkle later and he was gone before Peter could say anything. No major sound, no dramatic explosion or light show… 

Nothing… 

He was just… 

Gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whooo, how many of you are angry at me right now? Yeesh, it's not over yet. I really wouldn't end it here, that would be evil as hell and I'm a holy child hehe... Again, sorry for mistakes, I hope there aren't many, I wasn't really thorough with checking this chapter.
> 
> So, I'll see you in the next chapter?  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	36. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Kimi ga oitetta mono bakka ka Boku no subete ni natta no...**   
>  _“Whatever you left behind became all of me”_   
>  **Kimi ga oitetta mono bakka ka Boku no inochi ni natta no...**   
>  _“Whatever you left behind became my life”_
> 
> **_“Centimilimental”— Kizuato_**  
>  Translation by YouTuber: “Wooby”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter... Kinda.  
> Enjoy...?  
> Onward.

**Beacon Hills  
The Meadow**

With Stiles’ departure, the Earth’s rotation returned. Suddenly Peter was bombarded with the sound of everything that lived… everything that came back to life except the one most important thing that should have. He heard the birds, the wind, the tress, the squirrels and the insects scatter about, enjoying life… But he was dead inside. 

His closed eyes clenched tighter when he felt burning anger again, it was fueled by hurt and very animalistic. Opening his eyes, he glanced down at his claws, his wolf was back. Looking up at the skies, he absently noted how the Blood Moon left with Stiles too. He looked back down at the stump he was sitting on and there sat a Lotus… Brilliantly white, except its nectaries, they were a bright purple and pink on the tips. Peter smiled and dismounted the stump. 

He walked all the way to the meadow’s entrance before turning to glance at the flower one last time, the sun shone its brilliant light on it from the open top, showing Peter it’s brilliance. He could only imagine how beautiful the flower would be in the moonlight. 

He nodded to himself, “I love _you,_ Miezcyslaw.” He chuckled, knowing he would have hated the name, even as it was his own. “To the last of my days and further.” 

**~~***~~**

He walked out the meadow to find everyone waiting for him. Noshiko and her warriors were gone, just the wolves and Allison and her two huntresses were left. He almost couldn’t believe they survived. Deucalion was also gone… Actually, now that Peter thought about it, he didn’t see the man during the fight at all after Stiles released them from Sebastian’s hold. 

Erica was the first to approach him, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her forehead on his chest “Is he gone?”  
Peter sighed and nodded, “He is.” 

Erica nodded, closing her eyes to will away the burning in her eyes, “I’m sorry.” 

Peter brought his arms around her, laying his chin atop her head with a sad sigh, “Me too.”

**~***~**

**The Preserve**

They walked back to Peter’s apartment silently, nobody bothering to pick up a topic. Scott and Allison were being eaten away by their thoughts after Stiles’ parting words. 

“ _I forgive you_ ”

It was a hard blow to be forgiven by a person whom you’ve so wronged for so long and have never apologized to. But that was Stiles, Scott knew this. Stiles let him get away with a lot and a lot he took for granted, but those three words made him realize that Stiles didn’t just mean for throwing away their bond, but for everything else he had done since the beginning of their friendship. 

It hurt… Stiles forgave him and he didn’t get to say goodbye, let alone that he was sorry. But what would those words do? Unlike Stiles’ forgiveness, his apology would have paled in comparison. He suddenly became angry with Stiles for making him feel this way. He barely lifted a finger to assist him in this fight and not one in any fight they’ve ever been in and Stiles just had to go and be a saint and forgive him. 

Scott felt angry, he didn’t want Stiles’ forgiveness in addition to the knowledge that Stiles was the one who gave him his Alpha Spark. This meant that this entire time, it was Stiles who made him special, he was the one born with a unique gift. Scott was just another human being. Instead of feeling sorrow, he felt bitter. It was the emotion he chose go with in order to will away the tightening of his chest. He wouldn’t cry, not now…

After a moment of feeling guilty, Allison too felt angry that Stiles would dare to say he forgave her when she did nothing wrong—so she thought. She never manipulated Scott into doing anything, Scott prioritized her of his own volition, that was no fault of hers. She had nothing to apologize for, apart from her grandfather kidnapping and torturing Stiles. She was still human, she would admit that she had a part to play in that, but nothing else. 

She and Stiles were not friends, and for having almost killed her all those years ago and finding out on this day that she was in-fact right and Void was Stiles… She felt no guilt whatsoever. Stiles’ death saddened her as much as any other stranger’s would. But she would not mourn him past that.

**~~***~~**

They were halfway through the preserve when Derek paused. His tilted his head back and took a whip of air, but that wasn’t necessary because he could _feel_ it. 

“Derek?” Lydia asked. She was incredibly ignored when Derek took off to the scene where the battle started. “Jesus! We can’t leave him alone, come on!” Lydia cried, already running after him. 

Peter sighed, he really just wanted to see his children right now, but he was just as worried about Derek doing something self endangering so…

They ran for five or so minutes until they finally caught up to him. He was just standing there, rigid from head to toe. Lydia walked over to him and placed a tired hand on his shoulder. 

“Jesus, Derek, what the hell was tha—” Her words died in her throat as her gaze traveled to where Derek’s own wide one was. “Oh my god!” Was all she said before she rushed forward. She wasted no time crushing into the poor girl as she sat up, rubbing her head. 

“Kira!” 

“Ouch…” Kira moaned as two bodies collided with her own, “Not so loud, I have a splitting headache.” 

“Oh, shut up, you’ll live!” Hayden cried as she too squeezed the life out of her. She was there, Kira was real and actually there.  
Derek unfroze and went to his own companion. While he cradled his face in both his hands, the baby blue eyes staring back at him were wide with wonder and worry at the tears in his eyes. Derek hardly ever cried; it was a Hale thing. Then he remembered why Derek was in such distress. He placed his own hands over Derek’s cheeks. “Hi, Sad Wolf… Did you miss me?” 

“I—” The wolf choked, “You’re here… You’re really here.” 

Isaac smiled, “Of course I am. You didn’t _really_ think Stiles would just kill me, did you?” 

Derek didn’t answer, he pulled Isaac close and cried into his neck, while his newly revived fiancé ran a hand though his hair and soothed him. 

The sight broke Peter… As usual, everybody was getting an HEA except him. 

Lydia pulled away to look at Isaac, then back at Kira “Wait but… How are you here? That bastard Wraith King he said—” 

“Yeah, it was…” Kira trailed off, remembering the moment when Void had her pinned to the wall, before her Foxfire, her life, force was ripped from her… 

*~~~~~*

**_Iskra Underground Catacombs_ **

_‘Kira,’ The voice echoed in her head, ‘Listen to me very carefully, I’m going to kill you.’ Kira thrashed and gasped as her chest constricted both ‘Stop, don’t fight it, it will only hurt more if you do. I will kill you, only for a while, I need you to do something for me. Find your mother, send her to Beacon Hills, the others will need her help. Sebastian’s army is much too many for a pack of wolves. I’m sending you back to Earth, find Noshiko, tell her what’s happening, she will know what to do.’_

_‘I thought you were Void.’ Kira gasped as her Foxfire is extracted, ‘I thought you’d gone bad.’_

_‘I am, he’s a part of me, and I’m a part of him. Void or Stiles, it doesn’t matter, we’re both always here… Again, Kira, find your mother, she won’t see you at first, tell her to use her Fox Fire. You won’t have much time, tell her that she will find them at the place where it all began.’_

*~~~*

“After that, I remember waking up in Japan, Mom was in her office…”

*~~~* 

_“Mom.”_

_Noshiko’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock because she heard her daughter’s voice but, Kira wasn’t here. She stood from her seat and scanned the rest of the room with her eyes._

_“Kira?”_

_“I’m right here.” Of course, Noshiko couldn’t see her because she wasn’t corporeal. “Use your eyes, Mom.”_

_Noshiko’s eyes burned orange then and she gasped at Kira’s orange ghost standing before her. Her heart broke instantly, eyes filling with tears “No… No, Kira! Why?! How—”_

_“It’s okay.” Kira wished she could touch her, “It’s alright, Mom. I can’t explain right now, I don’t have much time but… I need you to do something for me.” Noshiko looked up, eyes full of pain and anguish, “Stiles sent me.” Kira watched her mother’s eyes fill with recognition._

_“Stiles… Claudia’s boy… He did this?” This is exactly what her cousin had been fearing._

_“Mom, listen, there’s some kind of Wraith King called Sebastian and he wants Stiles’ spark, but more than that, he wants to use it to talk over the world. Stiles says his army is too big for Scott, Derek and the others, they need your help.”_

_Noshiko’s body had gone rigid after she heard ‘Wraith King’, cold to the core. “Sebastian has Stiles? He has the legacy?”_

_Kira frowned “Wha—”_

_“Where are they?”_

_“Right now, still in the Wraith Realm—”_

_“Iskra…” Noshiko mumbled then her eyes widened “The Eclipse… it’s tomorrow. He means to use it to open the gateway and reach the Nemeton.” Noshiko knew that’s where Aurelia’s spark was hidden, Sebastian would seek to destroy the tree to prevent her from rising again. Kira nodded. Noshiko rushed to her desk and pulled out her phone—she had to gather the others— but she paused when Kira started shimmering out of existence. She rushed back to her side. “Kira—”_

_“One more thing Mom, Stiles said you will find them at the place where it all began…” Kira looked down at her disappearing arms and then back up with frantic eyes “Help them, Mom! Please hurry! I love you!”_

*~~~* 

“When I woke up again, Isaac was there.” Kira nodded to the wolf, who nodded in agreement with her statement. They had both woken up in an alternate dimension that Stiles calls the _‘Interspace.’_ It was calm… a beach. They sat there, worried themselves sick and caught up… simply waiting.

“Before he _‘killed’_ me,” Isaac used air quotes, “Stiles also told me—telepathically— to antagonize him, that the only way Sebastian would believe that he was truly on his side is if he killed at least one of us.” He looked to Derek, “Since you were the stronger one, I knew it had to be me… But we couldn’t tell you because your pain had to be real. We couldn’t the Wraith King knowing it was an act… I’m sorry.” 

Derek shook his head, stomach dropping at the guilt that he felt for resenting Stiles in that moment, he should have known better but then… that was the whole point. He took Isaac’s left hand, running his thumb over the black ring that still sat there “He brought you back.” 

Isaac nodded, “It was just a trick to fool Sebastian. And I guess it worked!” He laughed, but then his smile dropped, replaced by a frown when his eyes traveled to Peter and then across the field, “Wait… where… Derek where’s Stiles?” His fears spiked when everyone looked away.

Kira’s eyes snapped up too, “Yeah and my mom… Wait, did she even come?” 

Lydia met her eyes with a small smile “Your mom was plenty help. She took down a lot of wraiths, uhm… she just left.” 

“And Stiles?” Kira asked, met by silence, Lydia pointedly looking away from her, “Lydia, where is Stiles?” 

“Derek?” Isaac asked.

Lydia’s mouth opened and closed like a fish, eyes filling with tears again, it still hurt. Peter took mercy on her and decided to answer “We couldn’t save him… But he saved us.” 

Kira and Isaac shared a look, almost disbelieving the news but they didn’t break down, the tears slid quietly but they knew Stiles was at peace, they could feel it. Wherever he was, he was okay, and that gave them confidence to believe that they all would be someday too. 

Kira looked to Peter, “I’m sorry.” She mouthed. Knowing that it wouldn’t alleviate his pain but hoping to express her own sadness, to show him he wasn’t alone. 

Lydia gasped again as a figure walked from the shadows. Erica snorted, “She gasps one more time and I’m buying her an inhaler.” Hayden jabbed her with an elbow but couldn’t stop the snort that escaped. 

“It’s you!” Lydia exclaimed, “You’re the one who led us to the Nemeton!”

“Wait… This guy is the _‘ghost’_ you were seeing?” Erica exclaimed incredulously.  
Lydia turned wide eyes to everybody “Wait! You can all see him?!” 

“Oh my god, yes, can we stop shouting now?” Kira moaned, not looking up.

The man who seemed to be the object off all the ruckus placed his right arm across his chest, fist over his heart. “A pleasure to meet you all. And an _honor_ to meet Lord Miezcyslaw’s extended family and friends.” 

Peter frowned but remained silent, it was Lydia who spoke. “How do you know that name?” 

Kira jumped to her feet then, pain forgotten “Oh my god! It’s you, you’re here!” Her head still hurt; she couldn’t quite remember his old school name. 

The man smiled and nodded to her, “Lady Kira. I am pleased to see you well and… very much alive.” 

They all blinked. “I’m sorry, what?” Erica deadpanned.

“Who are you?” Isaac asked. 

Lydia, being the smart one did the math quickly “He sent you, didn’t he? Stiles sent you to take us to the Nemeton after he moved it.” 

The man nodded, giving them a very kind smile. “Indeed… My name is Caspian.”

**~~***~~**

**Peter’s Apartments**

After Caspian made a quick departure back to his world with an assurance that the gate between their worlds would never be opened again, the group quickly made their way out of the Preserve. Eager to get away from the cursed place. When they—being everybody who was not in Scott’s pack plus Hayden— got to Peter’s apartment, they found everybody waiting for them. 

Chris was awake, Melissa tending to his wound, after receiving a house call from John. John himself had been attacked by Deaton and only had a mild concussion. Cora was mostly healed, but she rested in one of the guest rooms. 

Kira quickly recognized the two Asian girls-Emiko and Fumiko- she had met on one or two occasions. Upon their arrival, the three set out to catch up to her mother before she left Beacon Hills. The others simply made themselves busy cleaning out the trashed place, leaving Derek and Isaac with the most difficult task of all…

Telling John that they had lost Stiles in the fight was absolutely heart wrenching but the Sheriff took it better than they had all expected. He cried and shouted for his son but he _mourned_ him. He did not refuse to believe the obvious truth. His life crumbled in all of two seconds but _he_ refused to crumble… He still had family to consider. He still had his dependable grandchildren. 

Stiles left behind a legacy and John would be better to them than he was to his son after his wife died. He had promised Stiles that much… and he would deliver.

While Derek and Isaac delivered the news to John, Peter all but ran to his children’s room. The instant he walked into the room, the waterworks stared and he would have loved to be strong but he shed several tears with them… They knew. He knew the instant he walked into their room that they knew. How could children so young be so intuitive about their father’s death? 

Peter sat in the very same armchair Stiles sat on in the Beach house and held his babies, humming lowly to them as they hiccuped into his chest. He hummed until they fell asleep and he refused to let them go. 

“I love you both so much.” He whispered to their sleeping forms, kissing their heads. “Daddy’s sorry…” He sobbed, tears spilling from his eyes. “I’m sorry I broke my promise… I’m so sorry I couldn’t bring your Tata back.”

Isaac appeared at the door, his eyes puffy and red from all the crying. He absolutely broke down when John did and when he heard the twins crying too. “They won’t hate you.” He assured, knowing exactly what was running through his mind, he could see it on his face. “They adore you, Peter. And it would tear them apart to lose you and Stiles all in the same day. You’re not your old self. Don’t sink into your black void.” 

Peter shook his head furiously, but gently enough that he didn’t jostle the twins. “Never… I already broke one promise, I will not break another.” He spoke more to himself than to the wolf.

Isaac nodded “Good, because I’ll be here to make sure you don’t,” Isaac turned to leave but he left Peter with a promise of his own, “We _all_ will be.” 

It wasn’t a threat, he was letting Peter know that he would never be alone in this, that he had a family, one that was as much his as they were his children’s. And the Alpha appreciated the sentiment, he truly did. They might need to work on their relationships but they would do it as a family because that’s what they had to be, what they _needed_ to be, for Petra and Claudius.

Peter looked back down at his angels. He found it ironic that they were created from Stiles’ memory of him and all because he wanted to have a part of him forever and now… they were the only piece of Stiles that _he_ had left that he wants to keep with him forever. 

“Happiness will befall each and every day of your lives.” He declared, “You will never be in need of anything. Never lonely, never in danger… and never unloved.” He pulled them closer “For my moon and stars, Petra,” He laid a kiss on her head, “And for my sun, Claudius,” He laid a kiss on his head. _I would sell myself to the devil himself._

“And I will cherish you forever… and beyond.”

**~~***~~**  
**~~~~~~**

_“So, how long do werewolves live?”_

_Peter hummed into Stiles’ hair, bringing him closer to his side “Hmm, no idea. Theory suggests forever but supposedly, just for a lifetime longer than humans as I have neither met a wolf old enough to prove immortality, nor do I feel immortal.” He chuckled lowly._

_Stiles snorted loudly into his shoulder “Well, you did die twice already so…” He bit his lip and turned his eyes back to the movie they were watching “How old are you anyway?”_

_“Appropriately 34.”_

_Stiles looked up at him with a smirk and poked his cheek “Well, in that case, you certainly age like a human, old man.”_

_Peter smirked back down at him “And how long will you live, little Spark?”_

_“Apparently, Sparks do live for a really long time… Very long time…” Stiles mumbled._

_Peter smiled contently “I suppose you will outlive me then.”_

_Stiles remained quiet for a moment, but Peter did not miss the scowl he tried to hide in the crook of his neck “You’re not leaving me alone in this in this hell-hole, Zombie-wolf.”_

_Peter raised a brow “Beacon Hills?”_

_Stiles shook his head as best as he could with his face still buried in Peter’s neck “Life.”_

_Peter smiled amusedly, running a soothing hand through Stiles’ hair as he scented the sour mood on him “I might not have a choice in the matter, sweetheart.”_

_Stiles finally lifted his head to meet Peter’s eyes, having to remind himself not to get lost in the bright blue orbs as Peter awarded him all his attention—as he always did—. He slid a hand up from Peter’s chest, up his neck to his nape, where he grabbed the hairs there in a gentle yet possessive grip. He then tilted his chin up, closing the miniscule distance between their lips._

_Peter allowed him control, merely responding to Stiles’ pace and letting out a soft growl when Stiles pulled harder at his hair and pulled him impossibly closer before releasing him. The alpha opened his eyes and was instantly both surprised and aroused when he was met with Stiles’ not only glazed over, but also bright purple eyes, burning with the fire of his spark._

_Stiles’ brows furrowed in determination as he looked down, hand dipping low into Peter’s v-neck to finger the white crystal dust and platinum ring he made for Peter—that the wolf wore on a chain around his neck so as to not lose it— that he had infused with his own spark, before he looked up into Peter’s eyes again. Voice thick with conviction, he said…_

_“But I do.”_

************THE END???*************

**Sorezore no michi wo erabi, futari wa haru wo oeta**  
_We went our separate ways and brought our spring to an end_  
**Sakihokoru mirai wa atashi wo aserasete**  
_My future is in full bloom but it fills me with panic_  
**Kimi no koe ga… Kono mune ni… Kikoete kuru yo~**  
_Inside my heart… I can hear your voice…_  
**Sakura hirahira maiyorite ochite**  
_The cherry blossom fell, fluttering down_  
**Yureru omoi no take wo dakishimeta**  
_Embracing every bit of my fluttering heart_  
**Kimi to haru ni chikai shi kono yume wo tsuyoku mune ni daite…**  
_I clutch the dream I promised you that spring tightly to my chest…_  
**Sakura… maichiru.**  
_The cherry blossom dance._

 ** _“Sakura”— Ikimono Gakari._**  


Translation by “mafakjapanesenotes.blogspot.com”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, and that's it for Part 1 (season 1 =P) of _Legacy of Iskra..._ I know, I know! Heartbreaking! I'm sorry... No, I'm not because guess what? There's more! 
> 
> Just click the next chapter button and I will see you over there.
> 
> TYSM to everybody who read this story from start to finish and even those who didn't finish it, I appreciate every single read. Sorry for mistakes, see you on the next page.  
> TTFN!  
> \--Nixie.


	37. EPILOGUE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Ano hi no kanashimi sae, ano hi no kurushimi sae,**   
>  **Sono subete wo aishiteta anata to tomo ni...**   
>  **Muno ni hokori hanarenai nigai remon no nioi,**   
>  **Ame ga furiyamu made wa kaerenai**   
>  **Ima demo anata wa watashi no hikari…**
> 
> **_“Lemon” — Kenshi Yonezu_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiiii! So, this is the final FINAL chapter for this story... Like the very final. As you can see from the chapter title. So yeah! Here you go, I think you'll be happy with this one.
> 
> Translation to "Lemon" at the end of the chapter.
> 
> Enjoy!  
> Onward!

**_*Seven Months Later*_ **

**Beacon Hills  
The Preserve**

Peter finally gave in. After a whole month of battling with himself about whether to bring them there or not, he finally decided it would be gracious to bring the twins to Stiles’ resting place.

So, that’s why he found himself heading to the meadow again.

About a week after the battle, he started coming back, at first to see if the Lotus was still there, but then to bask in whatever remained of Stiles’ presence. He would just sit on the Nemeton stump and talk to him, imagining his beautiful mate sitting across him, gorgeous doe eyes and a pearly smile. It took the pain away and made time fly faster. When he wasn’t with his children, he was here. 

It wasn’t until a couple of days ago that the decision to bring Petra and Claudie to the meadow solidified into a plan. A decision helped by what he _found_ two days ago… 

“Watch your step, monkey.” Peter commented, tightening his grip on Petra’s hand to prevent her fall. “You okay?” He asked after she regained her balance. She looked up at him with large shining pale hazel eyes and nodded, releasing a fit of giggles and then continuing her hopping about.

“Oh, look at that, danger amuses her. Now where have we seen _that_ before?” Erica’s statement was met with laughs and agreeing grunts from the group and Peter sighed. 

“Tell me again why you all invited yourselves.” 

“Because we _did_ and come on, Peter…” Lydia smirked, “No party is a party without me, okay? Your picnic would have been dead boring.” 

Erica _cough—_ “Debatable”— _coughed._

“Oh, shut it.” Lydia grumbled. 

Peter decided then to pretend they were not there. He would not admit it but he felt content knowing his children had the pack’s protection. Yes, you heard right, _pack_ , all of them. 

Lydia, Kira, Hayden and even Theo joined his pack. Jackson and Ethan left Beacon Hills immediately after they all separated after the fight, since Scott was not an Alpha anymore, and since Ethan was still an Alpha, they had no need of another pack to prevent going feral. 

As for Scott himself, he had too much pride to ask for a place in Peter’s pack… Not that the Alpha would allow him, there was too much bad blood between himself and Scott and despite the fact that he sired him, they would never be a real pack because Scott saw him a villain still. McCall was incredibly shocked to find out about the twins and while he was in denial about the whole Stiles ‘birthing’ them bit, he felt saddened and betrayed that Stiles didn’t tell him about them. 

But nobody really cared what he thought or how he felt, they all just wanted peace… but they wanted him to stay away too. That was his punishment. Watching everybody come together while he watched from the side-lines. Essentially, he was miserable not having a pack to ‘rule’ over anymore. His control was taken and he was just another beta wolf again.

As for Hayden and Liam, they separated a month after the fight and after Liam decided that he would not be able to join her new pack. Hayden hated to admit it but Liam practically worshiped Scott and hung to every word Scott and Allison told him all these years, he would much rather go feral than be in the same pack with Peter and that is why he decided to leave with Ethan and Jackson. 

Hayden wasn’t so much sad about losing a boyfriend as she was about losing a friend. But she had a much healthier pack than she ever did with Scott so she was perfectly content.

Derek decided to give Peter primary rights as Alpha and he stands as second in command. Therefore, while they were co-Alpha, Derek always gave Peter the last word and went to him before making any decisions. He felt it was only right as that is how it should have been from the start.

It took a while, but Peter cleared out his building, it was now reserved for the pack and the staff alone, with the occasional visitors and business partners. He had offered the Sheriff his own floor but John would not leave his home, still Peter kept it waiting for whenever John wanted to spend the weekend or however long he wanted. 

Sometimes the Sheriff found it easier to stay at the apartment building after work, especially when he had night shifts. He was only back at work for two weeks and the workload waiting for him was horrendously piled due to the incidents of the day of the eclipse… a lot went wrong at the many, many parties people threw. But he didn’t mind, it’s what he wanted, it gave him less time to sink back into missing Stiles with dysfunctionality. Helped him cope, keeping his son’s memories instead of _despairing_ in them. 

And that is also why in the large ‘pack picnic’ – as Lydia so graciously dubbed it – … He was the only one absent. He had work.  
Peter’s thoughts came back to him again when he felt a tug on his hand, this time the one holding Claudie. He pulled up a bit, preventing his son from toppling over. Peter sighed in amusement; this was the fourth time he’s tripped. “Claudie, I told you to pick up your feet or I pick you up.” 

“I _am,_ Daddy!” He moaned with a pout, stomping around for emphasis. “See?!” He glared up at his father. 

Peter laughed “No need to get cheeky, sweetheart.” 

Claudie blanched, but it was more like a high-pitched squeal “I’m not!” as soon as he said this, he tripped again, but this time, his hand slipped from Peter’s and he went down on his front, bracing himself on his arms so he wouldn’t eat dirt “Oooow.” He moaned lowly.

Peter sighed again—this time with defeat— handing Petra’s hand over to Isaac as the wolf passed by them then kneeling by his son. He easily grabbed him under the arms and stood with him, checking for injuries as Claudie dusted himself off, barely getting the dirt with his small hands. Letting out a laugh, Peter decided to help him, then he fixed the baseball cap covering his blonde curls, smirking at his son. 

“Alright, shall we try my way, then?” He asked. Claudie’s cheeks turned pink with embarrassment, he nodded to his father and hid his face in the crook of Peter’s neck. 

Usually they were indoors and on leveled ground, the little boy was not used to the unstable ground in the Preserve, it was all bumpy and full of rocks and twigs and he wanted to be like his sister and walk but… he just wasn’t as good as Petra at walking. Even after four years. He was good at other things but Petra was more agile. 

Peter smelt on his son’s sadness and decided to do away with it, “You know… Tata tripped all the time and he was much bigger than you.” 

Claudie’s head snapped up fast, wide shining pale blue eyes staring at Peter “Really?!” 

Peter nodded, “Mhm. In fact, I might say you walk better than he did.” he smirked.

Claudie giggled and grabbed Peter’s nose “No, I don’t! Tata was better!” 

The Alpha laughed; happy his son was in better spirits. He twisted his face in thought “Was he really? Because I think _you_ are better.” 

“Tata was the best, Daddy!” Claudie’s giggled became uncontrollable hearing Peter’s nasal voice from his closed nostrils.  
Peter’s heart sank and brightened at the same time. He was always happy to hear his children speak in high regards of Stiles and sharing happy memories but it also broke him that he wasn’t in those memories and because he missed the Spark terribly. 

Taking Claudie’s hand from his nose, he kissed his small, soft, meaty palm “ _That_ he was, little wolf.” He placed another kiss on neck, causing his son to squirm and lean away from the tickling sensation. “Tata will always be the best.” He affirmed, receiving a nod from his grinning son. It made him happy that Stiles’ memories did not hurt their twins… It made it that much easier to keep him alive. 

“Daddy! We’re here!” Petra called over from several feet ahead. Peter looked up to find that yes… they were indeed at the meadow. He had been so wrapped up in his son – which was so easy to do with his children – that he didn’t notice he had been walking. 

He walked over to them and handed Claudie over to Lydia when the Banshee asked for him, watching as they disappeared through the curtain. Cora came to stand next to him, and pulled a face, “Argh, pack bonding… This is gonna suck.”

Peter smirked “If you truly believed that, dear niece, you wouldn’t be here.” He threw over his shoulder, entering the meadow. He was surprised to find that Isaac and Lydia kept the twins from rushing to the center while the others set up the picnic. 

Lydia smiled at his face, “Come on, you didn’t really think we would we would take this away from you, did you?” 

Isaac nodded, “Yeah, we get how important and personal this is, Peter. Only you should get the honors.” 

Peter nodded laid a hand on each of their shoulders, in thanks and scenting them, then he crouched before his kids, met with two bright and curious pairs of eyes. “Wanna go see where Tata’s sleeping?” The twins’ eyes got bigger – if it was even possible— as they nodded their heads enthusiastically. “Okay, let’s go.” 

So, off the three went hand in hand… in hand to the large object that made him bring the twins here… For in place of the tree stump that once lay dead there, sat a large and fully blossomed Weeping Willow… The beautiful thing about this particular willow as opposed to the rest is that it’s leaves, while green, had a crystal, glass-like translucent appearance and feel to them. 

This big beautiful tree appeared suddenly and Peter almost freaked out when he saw it, thinking somebody had tampered with the Nemeton again but then he sported the same Lotus that rested atop the Nemeton stump at the foot of the tree… joined now by three others around the tree. He doesn’t know why but he instantly thought of Stiles. 

The sun’s rays shooting from the skylight above, hit the glass-like leaves which reflected millions of colorful lights across the entire meadow, making the whole place look like a giant disco ball sat at the center. Petra and Claudie kept gaping, releasing their appropriate oohs and ahhs as they walked closer to the tree, trying to catch the colorful lights with their hands. 

The adults weren’t at all surprised because, of course, Peter had brought them all in to see if there weren’t any sinister creatures going bump in the day and/or night around the meadow, but then again, the place was still closed off and it had moved—by itself— across the Preserve after the battle. Peter found he could easily find the Nemeton now, as he too was now connected to it, just like Lydia. 

But also, because there are some remnants of Aurelia’s spark still within him, not enough to cast major spells, Peter can heal faster than an ordinary wolf—even for an Alpha— and not only can he take pain away but he can heal others’ wounds in the process too. He still doesn’t know the full extent of his newly found power because he isn’t expressly _trying_ to use it. He was certainly much faster and stronger, though, and he has more control during the full moon than he did before.

When they reached the tree and Peter noticed that Petra and Claudie were closed in on themselves, they were trying not to touch anything they shouldn’t touch. He crouched down behind them so they stood between his knees and he had his arms around them. 

He watched them for a moment as they tilted their heads back to look up into the tree. He also found it weird that only the leaves were delicate but the trunk and branches remained wood. Finally, his children returned their attention to him, questioning looks on their faces. 

“What is it, Daddy?” Petra asked. 

“It’s a tree, love.” He brushed a strand of hair that had made its way to her mouth to the side and tucked it with the rest behind her ear. Petra looked to her brother, both scrunching up their noses in obvious dissatisfaction. 

“Hmm, it doesn’t look like other trees.” Claudie added, his lisp shining through with the long sentence. Usually he controls it with shorter responses but it isn’t something Peter faults him for, it was his son’s elective decision to work on his speech, he had no problems with it as Claudie was still very young.

“Well, how do you know it’s not like other trees when you haven’t touched it?” He smirked when the twins shared surprised looks again. 

“Can we?” They chorused. Peter nodded and picked them up, the leaves hung low but not low enough for two-year-old – sized – kids. Maybe for a nine-year-old, of the appropriate size, but his children were much too short to reach them. 

“Go ahead, but be very gentle.” 

Petra and Claudie each brought their hands up ever so slowly to touch the ‘leaves’, as soon as their hands made contact, the glasses rubbed against each other, releasing a melody that sounded an awful lot like chimes. The twins pulled their hands back to their chests and squealed, then proceeded to touch the hanging leaves again, this time with more confidence, brushing them aside softly so they could hear more of the tingling melody. 

Peter watched them enjoy themselves for a moment before he crouched down again, setting them don on their feet. “This tree was very important to Tata. He kept it safe because it’s very, very special tree.” 

“Is it a magic tree?” asked Petra.

Peter beamed “That’s right, monkey. This tree is very magical… And that is why Tata is sleeping here.” 

Claudie’s eyes were wide and innocent as he listened, of the two, he loved listening more while Petra liked finding answers and coming to conclusions more. They really were two sides of the same coin. “Tata is sleeping here?” 

Peter nodded, knowing he didn’t have to explain that Stiles was actually there, but rather his spirit. He looked down at the white lotus that still sat blooming there and touched it with delicate fingers. “He left this before he left.” 

The twins knelt beside the flower “Look! There’s another one over here!” Petra pointed to the one to her left, on the other side of the tree.

“And here!” Claudie pointed to his right with a grin.

Peter laughed “Yes, there’s another one behind the tree as well.” 

“Wow.” The twins breathed, watching the flower that almost seemed to glow. “Tata made them?” 

“He did.” was Peter’s simple answer. He watched his children caress the flower slowly, doing the same thing that they did with the leaves, but this time their entire bodies vibrated in shivers before they laughed and touched the flower again. He frowned at that “What is it?” he covered his voice with amusement so they wouldn’t hear the worry. 

“It feels like Tata’s magic!” Claudie answered. 

“When Tata showed us how to make water fly!” Petra added with a giggle “The water tickled too.” 

Peter smiled, sighing with relief internally, realizing that they were only feeling the remains of Stiles’ spark. He can also feel his mate’s presence but of course with Petra and Claudie being Sparks like their father, they could more than sense the remains of his presence but actively feel his spark.

The twins went quiet all of a sudden, Peter watched silently, giving them time to think out whatever they wanted to say as they were obviously communicating silently. Petra turned to him after a moment “Daddy… Can Tata hear us?” 

Peter paused, “I’d like to think so.” He never used small words with his children, they were much too smart for that. Also, he saw long ago that kids adjust to proper language faster if you use it with them, rather than teaching them while using small words. “Would you like to say something to him?” They nodded silently. “Alright,” He took their small hands and brought them up to place on the large tree stem. “Okay, what would you like to say?” He asked, wrapping his arms around each child. 

They were quiet for a moment but Peter didn’t rush, he busied himself kissing each of their temples, if anything to offer them courage to continue but also to scent them as he did as much as he could. He pulled back a bit when he heard their racing heartbeats “It’s okay, little ones.” He whispered, “Talk to Tata, he’ll hear you.”   
The twins nodded and bit their lips nervously. “We miss you, Tata.” They mumbled in unison. 

Immediately after they said this a crack sounded, Peter went on alert, he recognized that sound. _Breaking glass._ The sound echoed again, this time, the trunk breaking, showing a large crack that let light through… light that trees should _not_ be having inside. 

Peter stood quickly, taking his kids with him. “Kira.” The Kitsune appeared beside him quickly, Lydia and Hayden close behind her. Peter quickly handed Claudie over and clutched Petra closer as they backed away from the tree. 

“Daddy, what is that?” Petra whispered into Peter’s ear. 

“I don’t know, monkey.” The Alpha hadn’t teared his eyes away from the tree. 

“What happened?” Hayden asked as they turned for the exit. 

“What’s wrong?!” Cora and Erica asked as they came running into the meadow, they were just coming back from the cars, having forgotten the cooler, when they heard the commotion. Derek, Theo, Isaac and Boyd were out doing whatever in the preserve, probably running and wrestling, they did that a lot.

Peter’s eyes widened and the trunk cracked faster, there was only one thing that could happen after that. “We need to get out of here. Now!” 

Before they got far, however, there was a shatter and the tree exploded into nothingness behind them, massive white light covering the meadow and then… 

A moment later the shards sucked themselves back in, leaving behind the Nemeton as it once was and nothing but absolute silence. 

**~~***~~**

Derek and the others strolled back into the meadow, laughing from the wrestling game they had been having outside. When they walked in, Isaac was the first to pause, a frown marring his face. 

He tilted his head to the side “Huh… I feel like we’re forgetting something.” 

Theo laughed “I think I might have forgotten to turn lock the door.”

Derek laughed and hit him on the back of the head “Typical.” He frowned when he saw the toppled cooler on the ground “Who—Isaac!” 

“Okay, no, not me…” 

Boyd blinked, “Who else would it have been, it’s just the four of us here and you’re always in charge of the cooler.” 

“Okay, not true! Theo was supposed to—” 

“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Hey! I’m not the one who—” 

“You two are absolutely insufferable—” 

“—told you we shouldn’t have let him…” 

And the argument between the four friends continued. For they had no idea what just occurred in the last minute… or in the last decade. In their heads, Isaac, Derek, Boyd and Theo have forever been best friends… and the only people in their circle of friends. 

In layman’s terms: Peter, Cora, Erica, Lydia, Kira and little Petra and Claudie have been removed from the real world. All that was of them… All that has _ever been,_ completely wiped. For to those left behind…

They never existed. 

But the real question remains… Where have they gone? And who or what took them? 

**~~***~~**  
**~~***~~**

**Far, Far, Far Away**

“His Majesty would have a word with you.” 

Kira opened her eyes and frowned at the man “Caspian?” 

The man smiled charmingly at her and tipped his head in greeting, his hands clasped behind his back. “Lady Kira.” The woman in question gaped. He looked good, wearing the same attire he had when they met only this one was a dark turquoise/teal bright tone. 

Lydia frowned “Oh my god, are we in… Wait! What Majesty, you have a new King?” Great, another asshole to try for world domination, why the hell not? Because Lydia had nothing better to do than to try and fend off homicidal maniacs and death for the rest of her life.

Caspian frowned at her “A new King? Lady Martin, are you quite alright? Do you need to lie down? I’ll have your quarters prepared immed—” 

“I—What? No, I’m fine—” 

“She’s great!” Erica stepped in, pushing Lydia aside. “But you wanna know what isn’t? The fact that we have zero ideas what’s going on here.” She glared as she held Petra closer to her chest. The little girl was quiet, her eyes running over the crowd wildly, but they seemed to linger to the top of the stairs were the big throne sat. Glancing at Claudie, Erica noticed the same reaction from him. It made her worry; they were probably sensing some danger that the rest of them couldn’t. 

Remington laughed “Erica, I know you don’t like these, but try to at least stay for the beginning.” 

Erica turned to him with incredulous eye “Oh okay, so, _they_ are _Lady_ Kira and _Lady_ Martin and I’m just plain Erica?” She raised an offended brow, then pulled a face. “And who the _fuck are you_?!” she asked not only him but to the girl standing beside him.

“I’m—” Remi’s eyes widened, he turned to his brother “Are you _sure_ these aren’t imposters? They’re all acting rather strangely.”

“Very strangely.” The girl added with a frown of her own.

Caspian shook his head, looking over to the podium where another guard nodded to him, he nodded back and turned to the others “Do try to behave this time, we don’t want another repeat from last moon. I can’t babysit you all night.” He paused to give the girl a stern look “Especially _you,_ Marisela, no incidents tonight.” The girl looked positively offended at being singled out. 

Caspian narrowed his eyes at her, daring her to say anything, then he turned to Peter and gave him a respectful head bow, which included his top body leaning forward and a hand to his chest. “My Lord.” 

Still stunned, Peter simply nodded back, ignoring Erica’s indignant scoff. Caspian straightened and separated from the group, going off to his post to stand beside the throne on the podium. Kira’s eyes followed him silently, panicking internally… She didn’t make it to this part of the castle before but if she wasn’t mistakes, they were back on—

“Okay, what the hell is going on?” Cora hissed to Peter, clutching little Claudie close. His uncle was deadly quiet and that worried her. 

Peter’s eyes scanned the area with fiery precision, keeping Erica and Cora exceptionally close as they held his children… something didn’t feel right… yet he found himself not concerned about their current predicament and that worried him. Cora glared at him “Uncle Pe—” She was cut off as the trumpets went off, the announcer following closely.

“Presenting, his Royal Majesty! First of his name! Lord _Aerglo_ the first!” 

The man walked down from the stairs; his face hidden in the shadows. Closer and closer he came, until finally… he was drenched in the light. He rounded the chair and sat down. The gasps around him fell on deaf ears as Peter’s body went rigid… 

His stomach dropped, heart skipping a beat. It can’t be…

“King Mieczyslaw of Iskra!”   
…

“ _Tata!_ ”

~*~*~*~*~

**

“Lemon” Translation by “Wooby” on YouTube.

**

Even the sadness from that day, even the pain from that day,

I loved it all, together with you…

The bitter scent of lemon remains embedded in my heart

Can’t make my way home ‘til the rain lets up…

Even now you remain my light.

~*~*~*~

**_LEGACY OF ISKRA_ **

~*~*~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YESSIR! This is a sneak peak into the next part of this series, which you will not be getting until next year. But more on that in the next chapter, in which I give an announcement and thanks to some people. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I cant thank you enough. If this is where it all end for you, it's been a pleasure having you. And if you're interested in the next part of the series, i will see you in the next chapter. 
> 
> Thank you again and this has been _Legacy of Iskra,_ until next time...  
> Lots of love, stay safe, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! (^_^)  
> BYE-BYE!  
> \--Nixie.


	38. Announcements and Special Thanks!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hola!!! This is my final update into this part, it's nothing serious, you don't have to read but I'd very much like it if you did! You can skip to the end, under "Final Words" where I discuss when the next part of this series will be put up.

Hi there! 

If you’ve reached this point, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you so much for reading this story, I know I’ve said this in every chapter but I really have no other way of expressing my gratitude. 

But before that. I’d like to make an announcement... 

I will be putting up a **SasuNaru** crack fic with a really cool plot (as I found it’s hard to find a funny fanfic that has an actual plot as opposed to a parody fic). Yes, it’s for all of us who believe that Sasuke and Naruto were better suited for each other than they were for Sakura and Hinata kikiki XD

So, if you want to check that out, please do visit my account soon. The story is finished already, like this one and it is much shorted with only 10 or 11 chapters, I think. So, it will take a shorter time to put it all up than it did this one. 

Also, an implied mpreg story (meaning the boys already have children together) and they are already married so, established relationships. But there’s more! There are also other relationships involved like NejiGaa LeeSaku InoShika KibaHina, and they’re all grown and have children together. The story is about the “fathers” babysitting the kids together at the Uchiha Mansion while the “mommies” go on a much-needed vacation, chaos is sure to ensue. It’s super light and fun while retaining some elements of the NarutoVerse. 

I’m still having an internal debate with myself whether I should put it up as it was my very first attempt at fanfic writing and the quality might disappoint after **_Legend of Iskra._** But again, it’s not meant to be taken extremely seriously, it’s essentially a sitcom, something fluffy, funny and light. 

So, if you’re interested, do check it out. If I do decide to put it up, it will most likely be this weekend or next week. Please subscribe to my account if you’re interested in this and other works that I will be writing in future. 

**SPECIAL THANKS:**

That being said, I’d like to give a special thanks to a few of my awesome readers who have engaged me throughout the uploading of this story, I will use the “@” because I have no idea how else to tag you hehe XD!

  1. @Moonyw: Absolutely loved your enthusiasm throughout this story. You were very engaged and it gave me more incentive to keep the chapters coming knowing that somebody enjoyed them that much. I enjoyed reading every single one of your comments. You’re an amazing reader, and I hope to see you again in this series and in future works.
  2. @wam6996: Your emotional attachment to the story gave me life XD. You shared your predictions for this story and I loved it, most of the time your comments made me laugh just by how enthused you were about hating Scallison, it was awesome XD. Thank you for reading and stay safe.
  3. @notreallyme: Phew! I had a love/hate relationship with you and your comments. You saw me coming and you anticipated most of this plot, I hated and loved you for it XD… But, despite you endangering me to reveal spoilers you already knew, I overall absolutely loved having you as a reader, you’re truly amazing. Hope to see you again in this series, thank you and take care.
  4. @Rain: My little Trickster Fox who made me loads and loads of festive non-diabetic sugary treats! \\(^_^)/ Loved every single one of your comments. We weren’t even discussing the story but I had so much fun talking to you! You are by far one of my best readers and I loved seeing you in every week and every other day. I truly hope to see you again in this series in future and in other works. Thank you and stay safe!



And to everybody else I haven’t mentioned and to all the guests, future readers and commenters, I appreciate you no less than those before you. You’ve all made me very happy to have decided to post this story, I am truly grateful for your support. 

**FINAL WORDS:**

I haven’t started part 2 of this series yet, but I will do so as soon as I decide the plot and find inspiration to continue on the series. I will be writing all of it before putting it up again, I find that is the best way to ensure I don’t abandon the story and the best way to make sure readers don’t wait for updates. So, I will apply the same principle to all my works as I did with this one. 

I will say this though: The next part of this series will be much lighter than this one. It will definitely be an HEA and will be full of laughs, giggles, fluff, family feels and all that good stuff, while still having the appropriate drama, so I think you’ll enjoy it if you enjoyed this one.

**FAREWELLS:**

Alright, that’s all from me for now! 

Thank you so much again for choosing this story and sticking with it ‘til the end. 

From myself and this series, this is goodbye until next year. It has been an absolute pleasure and an honor having you here. Have yourself a very happy and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Stay safe, always and I hope to see you again next year. 

Until then, I bid you adieu!  
—Nixie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOVE YOUUUU! BYE BYEEEE!  
> \-- TheMidnighter.


End file.
